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Valuable statues and other artefacts have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.

The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when staff apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been forced from the inside.

The six stolen pieces were crafted from marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, one official told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to establish the "events surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen safeguarding and monitoring systems.

The chief of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as saying that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and unique items".

He added that museum protectors at the museum and other individuals were being interrogated.

The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the most important archaeological collection in the country.

It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the oldest known complete alphabet was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant ancient sites of the ancient world; and a third century synagogue that was built at an ancient location.

The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the start of the devastating civil war. The majority of the collection was removed and preserved at secret locations to safeguard them.

It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, one month after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader.

All six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or significantly impacted during the conflict.

The militant faction blew up numerous religious structures and other structures at the ancient city, asserting that they were idolatrous. Unesco condemned the demolition as a atrocity.

Many cultural items were also lost or stolen from archaeological sites and museums.