Roman statues stolen from Syria's nationwide museum

[ad_1] DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Thieves broke into Syria ‘s nationwide museum and stole a number of historical statues relationship again to the Roman period, officers stated Tuesday.

The Nationwide Museum of Damascus was briefly closed after the heist was found early Monday. 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 family rule final 12 months.

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

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

One other official informed the AP that the theft occurred Sunday evening and was found when one of many doorways on the classical division was discovered damaged.

Each officers spoke on situation of anonymity in step with laws as a result of the federal government had not but made an announcement.

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 was informed by guards that images was not allowed.

Directorate-Normal for Antiquities and Museums stated in an announcement 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 reveals” went lacking.

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

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

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

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Mroue reported from Beirut.

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