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Historic artifacts and other artefacts have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.

The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.

The half-dozen stolen statues were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman era, a source informed the Associated Press.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a number of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to improve security and monitoring systems.

The director of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as saying that security forces were examining the theft, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He continued that security personnel at the facility and additional people were being questioned.

The Damascus Museum, which was created in 1919, contains the significant cultural treasures in Syria.

It includes historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the earliest complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at an ancient location.

The institution was forced to close in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the internal strife. The majority of the holdings was evacuated and kept at secret locations to protect them.

It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after insurgents removed President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The IS organization demolished several temples and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the damage as a war crime.

Countless cultural items were also damaged or stolen from dig sites and museums.