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Historic artifacts and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, officials say.

The burglary was noticed on Monday, when museum workers allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the inside.

The six missing statues were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, an authority told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to establish the "details surrounding the loss of a group of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to strengthen protection and surveillance.

The head of internal security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that security forces were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

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

The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, holds the significant archaeological collection in Syria.

It contains ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where proof of the oldest known linguistic system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was established at an ancient location.

The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the outbreak of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after opposition groups overthrew Syria's former leader.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or significantly impacted during the conflict.

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

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