Theft of Roman statues from Syria’s main museum believed to be work of an individual

Investigators judge the theft of past Roman-era statues from Syria's nationalist depository was apt the enactment of an individual, not an organized gang

DAMASCUS, Syria -- Investigators judge the theft of respective past statues dating backmost to the Roman epoch from Syria’s nationalist depository was apt the enactment of an individual, not an organized gang, officials said Wednesday.

The National Museum of Damascus was closed aft the heist was discovered aboriginal Monday. The depository had reopened successful January arsenic the state recovers from a 14-year civilian warfare and the autumn of the 54-year Assad household rule past year.

On Wednesday, a information conveyance was parked extracurricular the main gross of the depository successful cardinal Damascus portion information guards stood nearby. People were not allowed successful due to the fact that of the ongoing investigation.

Two officials from Syria’s Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said that advancement has been made successful the probe and that results are expected soon. They spoke connected information of anonymity due to the fact that they were not allowed to talk astir the details of the probe to the media.

“God consenting we volition scope bully results,” 1 of the officials said.

The country’s largest depository houses priceless antiquities. After the civilian warfare started successful March 2011, information was improved with metallic gates and surveillance cameras, and authorities moved hundreds of artifacts to Damascus from astir the country.

The theft angered Damascus residents who said that specified acts tarnish the representation of the state arsenic it tries to rebuild from a warfare that near fractional a cardinal radical dead.

“This is not lone an aggression connected the Syrian authorities but an aggression connected Syrian civilization,” said nonmigratory Waddah Khalifeh erstwhile asked astir the theft. He expressed fears that the thieves mightiness purpose to smuggle the statues and merchantability them abroad.

On Tuesday the Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said that the theft did not impact activities astatine the depository and claimed that visitors were visiting the installation arsenic usual.

An AP writer who tried to participate the depository connected Wednesday was told that each sections, including those that are outdoors, were closed due to the fact that of the investigation.

The depository reopened connected Jan. 8, a period aft rebels ousted President Bashar Assad, ushering successful a caller epoch for the country. Fearful of looting, the depository had concisely closed aft a rebel violative ended 5 decades of Assad household rule.

The years of struggle had severely affected areas including the historical cardinal town of Palmyra, erstwhile held by the Islamic State group. In 2015, IS members destroyed mausoleums successful Palmyra’s UNESCO World Heritage tract that is celebrated for its 2,000-year-old Roman colonnades, different ruins and priceless artifacts.

"I anticipation that these pieces volition beryllium returned due to the fact that this is bully for the caller Syria,” said different resident, Hussein Abu al-Kheir, referring to post-Assad Syria.

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Mroue reported from Beirut

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