Historic Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus

Historic artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.

The burglary was found on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the inside.

The half-dozen missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman era, an authority informed the news agency.

Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the theft of a collection of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen security and observation methods.

The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the official media as declaring that security forces were probing the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He noted that museum protectors at the facility and other individuals were being interviewed.

The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the significant cultural treasures in the country.

It features clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where proof of the earliest complete alphabet was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient religious building that was built at an ancient location.

The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the collection was transferred and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, four weeks after opposition groups removed the Assad regime.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The IS organization destroyed several religious structures and historical sites at Palmyra, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the destruction as a atrocity.

Countless cultural items were also lost or looted from historical locations and museums.