The Damascus museum theft set off an official investigation in what may be one of Syria’s largest losses of antiquities in recent...

The Damascus museum theft set off an official investigation in what may be one of Syria’s largest losses of antiquities in recent years. Thieves have stolen several Roman-era statues from Syria’s National Museum in Damascus, officials said Tuesday, the latest blow to the country’s cultural heritage after years of looting and destruction during its civil war. The theft was discovered early Monday, when the staff found a door in the museum broken from the inside, according to an official at the Syrian Ministry of Culture, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue. The stolen artifacts rank among the oldest and most valuable in the museum’s collection, the official said, in what appears to be the largest single loss of antiquities since President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown by rebels last year. https://lnkd.in/g5DRVCTt