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Ancient sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.

The robbery was discovered on Monday, when employees allegedly found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.

The half-dozen taken sculptures were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, an authority told the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to enhance security and surveillance.

The head of national security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were probing the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He noted that guards at the facility and additional people were being interrogated.

The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, contains the most important historical artifacts in Syria.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where proof of the oldest known complete alphabet was discovered; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was established at Dura Europos.

The facility was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was evacuated and preserved at undisclosed sites to protect them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after insurgents overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

All six of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the conflict.

The Islamic State group demolished several ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, stating that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the damage as a atrocity.

Countless cultural items were also lost or taken from dig sites and museums.