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Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.

The theft was found on Monday, when staff allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.

The multiple taken sculptures were crafted from marble and dated back to the Roman era, an authority stated to the media outlet.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "details surrounding the disappearance of a group of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to enhance security and monitoring systems.

The head of internal security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that authorities were probing the robbery, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He noted that guards at the institution and other individuals were being interviewed.

The Damascus Museum, which was established in 1919, houses the primary historical artifacts in Syria.

It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was established at Dura Europos.

The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, a year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. Most of the holdings was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after insurgents deposed President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group blew up several religious structures and additional edifices at the ancient city, claiming that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the damage as a violation.

Many cultural items were also lost or taken from dig sites and cultural institutions.