🔗 Share this article Valuable Sculptures Removed from the National Museum Located in Damascus The National Museum resumed complete operations in January of this year, one month after the overthrow of Syria's former leader. Historic sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report. The theft was discovered on Monday, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside. The half-dozen missing pieces were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source informed the news agency. Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to strengthen security and observation methods. The chief of domestic security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as stating that security forces were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and valuable objects". He added that security personnel at the facility and other persons were being interrogated. The National Museum, which was established in 1919, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country. It includes historical records tracing back to the ancient era from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the ancient world; and a ancient synagogue that was built at an ancient location. The institution was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the internal strife. Most of the artifacts was removed and stored at secret locations to protect them. It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after insurgents removed Syria's former leader. Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the conflict. The IS organization destroyed numerous religious structures and additional edifices at Palmyra, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco denounced the destruction as a atrocity. Many cultural items were also lost or stolen from archaeological sites and museums.