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Valuable artifacts and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, sources confirm.

The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the interior.

The six missing pieces were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman period, one official told the Associated Press.

Cultural heritage officials said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "details surrounding the loss of a collection of items", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen security and surveillance.

The head of national security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that security forces were probing the incident, which he said had affected several "historical artifacts and unique items".

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

The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, houses the primary historical artifacts in Syria.

It contains historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the historical period; and a third century Jewish temple that was established at Dura Europos.

The facility was forced to close in the early 2010s, twelve months after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and kept at secret locations to safeguard them.

It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after insurgents deposed Syria's former leader.

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

The Islamic State group blew up several temples and additional edifices at the archaeological site, asserting that they were against their beliefs. The cultural organization condemned the demolition as a violation.

Numerous cultural items were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and cultural institutions.