Overview
- The National Museum of Damascus has been temporarily closed as authorities conduct an investigation.
- One antiquities official reported that six marble statues were taken, though the exact count has not been publicly confirmed.
- The break-in occurred Sunday night and was discovered early Monday when a door to the classical department was found broken.
- Security upgrades installed after years of conflict, including metal gates and surveillance cameras, failed to prevent the breach.
- The theft unfolds as Syria navigates a post-conflict transition following a 14-year civil war and the 2024 end of the Assad family’s rule.