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Valuable artifacts and other artefacts have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.

The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when museum workers apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.

The six taken pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, one official stated to the media outlet.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of items", and that actions had been taken to strengthen safeguarding and observation methods.

The director of internal security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the official media as saying that law enforcement were probing the theft, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

He continued that guards at the museum and other individuals were being interviewed.

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

It contains historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where proof of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was established at Dura Europos.

The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.

All six of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partly ruined during the civil war.

The Islamic State group destroyed multiple ancient buildings and historical sites at the archaeological site, claiming that they were against their beliefs. International authorities censured the demolition as a atrocity.

Many cultural items were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and cultural institutions.