The National Museum of Damascus was broken into and six Roman‑era marble statues were reported stolen, officials said. Authorities have opened an investigation and are questioning museum guards and other individuals. The museum had only recently reopened on Jan. 8 amid political changes, and the theft is a fresh blow to Syria’s cultural heritage after earlier destruction in Palmyra by IS in 2015.
Six Roman‑Era Marble Statues Stolen from National Museum of Damascus; Investigation Underway
The National Museum of Damascus was broken into and six Roman‑era marble statues were reported stolen, officials said. Authorities have opened an investigation and are questioning museum guards and other individuals. The museum had only recently reopened on Jan. 8 amid political changes, and the theft is a fresh blow to Syria’s cultural heritage after earlier destruction in Palmyra by IS in 2015.
07:15 PM, 11/11/2025Culture
Thieves Steal Six Roman‑Era Statues from Damascus National Museum
DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Thieves broke into the National Museum of Damascus and stole several ancient statues dating to the Roman era, officials said Tuesday.
The museum was temporarily closed after the theft was discovered early Monday. It had only recently reopened on Jan. 8 amid the broader unrest that followed a major offensive that, according to officials, ended decades of Assad family rule.
The National Museum of Damascus, the country's largest, houses priceless antiquities. After the civil war began in March 2011, authorities strengthened security with metal gates and surveillance cameras and moved hundreds of artifacts to Damascus from across the country.
An official at Syria’s Directorate‑General for Antiquities and Museums told The Associated Press that six marble statues were taken and that an investigation is under way. Another official said the theft occurred Sunday night and was discovered when staff found a door to the museum’s classical department had been forced open. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because the government had not yet issued a formal statement.
Brig. Gen. Osama Atkeh, the police chief in Damascus, later told state news agency SANA that several statues and rare collectibles were stolen and that guards and other individuals were being questioned. An AP reporter who tried to enter the museum on Tuesday was told by guards that it remained closed.
Maamoun Abdulkarim, the former head of the government department for antiquities and museums, described the targeted section as “a beautiful and historically rich department with artifacts dating back to the Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine periods.” The loss of antiquities is particularly sensitive in Syria after years of conflict that severely damaged historic sites.
One of the most notorious examples of cultural destruction occurred in Palmyra. In 2015, Islamic State fighters destroyed mausoleums and other monuments at the UNESCO World Heritage site, known for its roughly 2,000‑year‑old Roman colonnades and other irreplaceable ruins.
Authorities said the investigation continues and appeals have been made to the public and international partners to help recover the stolen items and protect Syria’s cultural heritage.
Mroue reported from Beirut.