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Historic statues and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.

The robbery was noticed 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 missing sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the Roman period, a source told the media outlet.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the loss of a collection of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to improve safeguarding and monitoring systems.

The director of national security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as declaring that authorities were investigating the theft, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and unique items".

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

The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the most important cultural treasures in the country.

It features clay cuneiform tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where proof of the oldest known complete alphabet was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the historical period; and a third century religious building that was established at an ancient location.

The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. Most of the artifacts was transferred and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, one month after insurgents overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The militant faction demolished numerous temples and other structures at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a atrocity.

Many historical objects were also destroyed or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.