Artifacts, Stolen by Terrorists and Prepared for Smuggling, Found in Syria’s Eastren Ghouta

DAMASCUS COUNTRYSIDE, (ST)- Syrian artifacts, stolen and prepared for smuggling, were found on Wednesday in Zamalka town and Douma city of Damascus Countryside.

Competent authorities told SANA that during combing operations in the farms and agricultural areas in Zamalka town in eastern Ghouta , authorities found in one of the terrorists’ hideouts 10 stone archeological pieces, most of them are made of basalt.

The pieces, which date back to different ancient ages and are of great historical values, were stolen from archeological places by terrorists and they have been prepared for smuggling, authorities said.

In Douma, SANA reporter said that the authorities found several artifacts in a house under construction, noting that and these pieces were stolen from one of the Syrian archeological sites and brought to Douma in preparation to be sold and smuggled.

  Jihad Abu Kahileh, Director of Damascus Countryside Antiquities, said the seized artifacts are basalt sculptures representing goddesses, carved stone lintels , mostly dating back to Roman era in the second century AD.

Abu Kahileh pointed out that the pieces were previously obtained during illegal excavations by the terrorist groups when they were controlling Eastern Ghouta, noting that most of them are from Harran al-Awameed town.

Hamda Mustafa