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Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.

The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when employees reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the interior.

The six taken statues were made of marble and traced back to the Roman period, an authority informed the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a number of items", and that steps had been taken to enhance protection and monitoring systems.

The chief of internal security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as declaring that security forces were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He continued that guards at the facility and other persons were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, contains the primary archaeological collection in the country.

It features clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where proof of the most ancient complete alphabet was uncovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.

The institution was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was removed and preserved at secret locations to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in recent years and resumed full operations in early this year, a month after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.

All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the conflict.

The IS organization blew up numerous religious structures and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities condemned the destruction as a atrocity.

Numerous historical objects were also lost or looted from historical locations and museums.