đź”— Share this article Valuable Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus The Damascus Museum resumed complete operations in the first month of this year, one month after the deposition of President Bashar al-Assad. Valuable sculptures and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report. The burglary was found on Monday, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior. The half-dozen stolen statues were marble creations and traced back to the Roman period, a source told the news agency. The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to determine the "details surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that measures had been taken to enhance protection and observation methods. The chief of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as saying that authorities were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and unique items". He added that museum protectors at the institution and additional people were being questioned. The National Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the primary archaeological collection in Syria. It includes historical records dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was found; early centuries CE classical statues from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed at an ancient location. The facility was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and preserved at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety. It reopened partially in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, a month after rebel forces deposed the Assad regime. All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war. The Islamic State group destroyed numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at the ancient city, asserting that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization censured the destruction as a violation. Many artefacts were also lost or stolen from dig sites and cultural institutions.