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In what is being described as the most severe incident of its kind in decades, syrian authorities have verified that the National Museum in damascus has been targeted by a brazen overnight robbery. Thieves made off with an array of Roman-era statues and artefacts of immeasurable value, amid official silence and a conspicuous lack of detail regarding the full extent of the theft. On Tuesday, authorities from syria/" class="smart-internal-link" title="📰 Justice Ministry, SNHR discuss cooperation on transitional justice in Syria">syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria’s Ministry of Interior declared that unknown individuals had broken into the museum in the capital, stealing multiple Roman antiquities.
Notably, they stated that investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators and recover the stolen treasures. In fact, a Mysterious Theft Resonates Through Damascus One official informed the Associated Press: “Six marble statues have disappeared from the Hall of Classical Antiquities,” adding that the break-in occurred on Sunday evening and was only discovered early Monday when a shattered door was found. Indeed, another official noted that the investigation includes questioning the museum’s guards and staff, and verified that the ministry is handling the matter “with the utmost discretion. ” In the administration’s first public statement, Brigadier General Osama Atikah, Damascus’s internal security chief, stated on Tuesday via local media: “We are investigating the theft that deprived the National Museum of its antiquities and unique artefacts.
Extensive efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those responsible and to recover what was stolen. ” Brigadier Atikah added: “The investigation involves the museum’s security personnel and relevant parties to uncover the full circumstances of the incident. Immediate steps have been taken to strengthen protection at all archaeological sites across the capital. ” On Tuesday morning, an Associated Press reporter attempted to access the museum—located near Umayyad Square in central Damascus—but was turned away by guards, who stated it had been closed indefinitely and declined to comment. Sources within the General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums confirmed that multiple guards and staff were detained late into Monday night for questioning, though no official statement has yet been released.
In fact, the Museum: Syria’s Living Memory The National Museum of Damascus is one of the most prestigious in the Arab world, often referred to as “the dean of Syrian museums. ” Founded in 1919, it houses collections spanning from prehistory to the Islamic era, including Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine masterpieces of rare significance. Currently, it holds the majority of Syria’s museum collections, numerous of which were relocated there during the war to protect them from looting and destruction. …