Historic Statues Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus

Ancient artifacts and other artefacts have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.

The robbery was noticed on Monday, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.

The multiple missing statues were made of marble and originated to the Roman period, one official stated to the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to improve safeguarding and observation methods.

The chief of national security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as saying that law enforcement were probing the robbery, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

He added that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being interrogated.

The National Museum, which was created in 1919, contains the significant archaeological collection in the country.

It features historical records originating to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at an ancient location.

The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. Most of the collection was transferred and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after insurgents removed Syria's former leader.

Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the civil war.

The IS organization blew up numerous temples and historical sites at the ancient city, claiming that they were idolatrous. Unesco censured the demolition as a war crime.

Many artefacts were also lost or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.