(MENAFN) Burglars have infiltrated Syria’s National Museum in Damascus, making off with a number of valuable Roman-era relics, according to multiple media sources.

The nation’s instability, a consequence of years of civil conflict, reached a climax last year with the removal of longtime leader Bashar Assad.

This event triggered months of violent confrontations between the new government’s forces and opposing factions.

The robbery reportedly occurred on Sunday night and was discovered early Monday.

A news agency reported that the intruders stole several ancient statues from the Roman period, while other outlets claimed that six gold ingots were also missing. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The theft comes after repeated warnings from international organizations. In June, the Paris-based International Council of Museums (ICOM) highlighted the emergence of an active black market for cultural items in Syria, with looting and illicit trade of artifacts on the rise.

Two months later, the Syrian antiquities agency, in collaboration with UNESCO, initiated a project to strengthen the museum’s security infrastructure.

Established in 1919, the National Museum of Damascus is among the oldest and most significant museums in the Arab region. Its collections span thousands of years of Syrian heritage.

The museum was closed in 2012 due to the civil war, partially reopened in 2018, and returned to full public access in January 2025.

Assad’s removal came after a surprise assault by the jihadist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Al-Qaeda offshoot, which seized control of Damascus in late 2024.

HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa assumed the presidency of Syria. On Monday, he met US President Donald Trump in Washington after being taken off the US State Department’s ‘global terrorist’ list.

Following the meeting, Syria pledged to join the US-led coalition against the militant group Islamic State (IS).

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