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Valuable sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.

The burglary was found on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that a doorway had been forced from the interior.

The six stolen pieces were made of marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the Associated Press.

Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.

The director of internal security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as stating that authorities were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".

He continued that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was established in 1919, houses the primary historical artifacts in the country.

It includes clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, a significant ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed at an ancient location.

The facility was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. Most of the holdings was removed and kept at secure places to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, a month after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group blew up several religious structures and other structures at the archaeological site, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the damage as a war crime.

Many cultural items were also damaged or looted from historical locations and collections.