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Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, sources confirm.

The theft was discovered on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside.

The half-dozen taken statues were made of marble and traced back to the Roman era, a source informed the media outlet.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that measures had been taken to enhance protection and observation methods.

The head of internal security in the capital area, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as stating that security forces were examining the robbery, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He noted that security personnel at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.

The National Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the most important historical artifacts in Syria.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost cultural centres of the historical period; and a third century religious building that was built at another archaeological site.

The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to protect them.

It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups overthrew Syria's former leader.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.

The IS organization demolished multiple religious structures and historical sites at the ancient city, stating that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a atrocity.

Countless artefacts were also destroyed or looted from archaeological sites and collections.