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

The robbery was found on Monday, when employees allegedly found that a doorway had been forced from the interior.

The six missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman period, one official informed the media outlet.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been taken to improve protection and surveillance.

The director of national security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were probing the theft, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

He added that museum protectors at the institution and other individuals were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was created in the early twentieth century, contains the primary cultural treasures in the country.

It contains clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, among the foremost cultural centres of the ancient world; and a ancient Jewish temple that was constructed at an ancient location.

The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was evacuated and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

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

The Islamic State group blew up numerous religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization denounced the damage as a violation.

Many historical objects were also damaged or taken from historical locations and cultural institutions.