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Valuable statues and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, authorities report.

The burglary was noticed on the start of the week, when staff allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.

The multiple missing sculptures were marble creations and dated back to the Roman era, an authority informed the news agency.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that steps had been taken to enhance safeguarding and observation methods.

The head of internal security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as declaring that authorities were probing the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

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

The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the primary cultural treasures in Syria.

It includes clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where indications of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; early centuries CE Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.

The museum was forced to close in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, a month after rebel forces deposed Syria's former leader.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group blew up multiple temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. Unesco censured the damage as a violation.

Countless cultural items were also destroyed or taken from dig sites and collections.