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Valuable sculptures and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.

The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.

The six stolen pieces were made of marble and dated back to the Roman era, one official told the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and monitoring systems.

The chief of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the official media as saying that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He noted that guards at the facility and other persons were being interviewed.

The Damascus Museum, which was created in 1919, holds the most important historical artifacts in the country.

It contains historical records originating to the ancient era from Ugarit, where indications of the most ancient linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, among the foremost cultural centres of the ancient world; and a ancient religious building that was constructed at Dura Europos.

The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the artifacts was removed and kept at undisclosed sites to protect them.

It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, a month after insurgents overthrew Syria's former leader.

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

The militant faction demolished several religious structures and other structures at Palmyra, stating that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the destruction as a atrocity.

Many artefacts were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and museums.