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Historic artifacts and additional items have been removed from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.

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

The six missing statues were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman era, a source stated to the media outlet.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that actions had been enacted to enhance protection and observation methods.

The director of internal security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that security forces were examining the incident, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He continued that security personnel at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the most important archaeological collection in Syria.

It features historical records originating to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where indications of the earliest complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from Palmyra, a significant ancient sites of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was built at an ancient location.

The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, a year after the start of the internal strife. The majority of the artifacts was removed and stored at secure places to ensure their safety.

It began limited operations in recent years and resumed full operations in January 2025, one month after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.

Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or significantly impacted during the civil war.

The militant faction blew up multiple ancient buildings and other structures at the archaeological site, claiming that they were un-Islamic. Unesco denounced the destruction as a atrocity.

Many artefacts were also lost or looted from historical locations and collections.