Thieves steal Roman statues from Syrias nationwide museum

Thieves broke into Syria ‘s nationwide museum and stole a number of historical statues courting again to the Roman period, officers stated Tuesday.

The National Museum of Damascus was briefly closed after the heist was found early Monday (November 10, 025). The museum had reopened in January because the nation was recovering from a 14-year civil struggle and the autumn of the 54-year Assad household rule final 12 months.

The nation’s largest museum homes priceless antiquities. After the civil struggle began in March 2011, safety was improved with metallic gates and surveillance cameras, and authorities moved a whole bunch of artifacts to Damascus from across the nation.

An official from Syria’s Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums informed The Associated Press that six marble statues had been stolen, and that an investigation was ongoing.

Another official informed The Associated Press that the theft occurred Sunday (November 9, 2025) evening and was found when one of many doorways on the classical division was discovered damaged.

Both officers spoke on situation of anonymity consistent with rules as a result of the federal government had not but made a press release.

The police chief in Damascus, Brig. Gen. Osama Atkeh, later informed state information company SANA that a number of statues and uncommon collectibles had been stolen from the museum. He stated that guards there and different people had been being questioned.

An AP journalist who tried to enter the museum Tuesday (November 11, 2025) was informed by guards that pictures was not allowed.

Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums stated in a press release later within the day that an investigation had been launched and that measures had been taken instantly to ensure the security of the antiquities contained in the museum. It didn’t say what was stolen, solely saying that “some displays” went lacking.

The part of the museum the place the statues had been reported stolen is “a phenomenal and traditionally wealthy division with artifacts courting again to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine durations,” stated Maamoun Abdulkarim, the previous head of the federal government’s antiquities and museums division.

The museum reopened on January 8, a month after rebels ousted President Bashar Assad, ushering in a brand new period for the nation. Fearful of looting, the museum had briefly closed after a insurgent offensive ended 5 a long time of Assad household rule.

The years of battle had badly affected areas, together with the historic central city of Palmyra, as soon as held by the Islamic State group. In 2015, IS members destroyed mausoleums in Palmyra’s UNESCO World Heritage website that’s well-known for its 2,000-year-old Roman colonnades, different ruins and priceless artifacts.