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

The theft was discovered on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior.

The six taken pieces were marble creations and traced back to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen security and observation methods.

The head of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".

He continued that guards at the facility and other individuals were being questioned.

The National Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the significant archaeological collection in the country.

It features historical records originating to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed at another archaeological site.

The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. The majority of the collection was evacuated and preserved at secret locations to protect them.

It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, a month after insurgents deposed President Bashar al-Assad.

Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partially destroyed during the conflict.

The militant faction blew up several temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the damage as a violation.

Many cultural items were also lost or taken from dig sites and museums.