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Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.

The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.

The six taken sculptures were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, one official told the Associated Press.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to determine the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a collection of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to strengthen security and surveillance.

The chief of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as stating that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".

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

The Damascus Museum, which was established in 1919, contains the primary cultural treasures in the country.

It contains historical records originating to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where proof of the oldest known complete alphabet was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from Palmyra, among the foremost ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was constructed at another archaeological site.

The museum was forced to close in 2012, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the artifacts was evacuated and preserved at secure places to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, a month after opposition groups deposed President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or partly ruined during the conflict.

The Islamic State group destroyed several temples and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the destruction as a violation.

Many cultural items were also destroyed or taken from historical locations and collections.