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Valuable artifacts and additional items have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.

The burglary was found on Monday, when employees apparently found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.

The six missing statues were marble creations and dated back to the ancient Roman times, an authority told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a number of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to strengthen security and surveillance.

The chief of domestic security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as stating that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He noted that museum protectors at the facility and other individuals were being interviewed.

The cultural institution, which was founded in the early twentieth century, holds the significant cultural treasures in the country.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from historical site, where indications of the most ancient writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at another archaeological site.

The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. Most of the holdings was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to protect them.

It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the civil war.

The militant faction demolished numerous temples and additional edifices at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization censured the damage as a violation.

Countless cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from dig sites and collections.