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

The robbery was found on Monday, when museum workers allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the interior.

The half-dozen stolen sculptures were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman era, a source informed the media outlet.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a collection of items", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen protection and surveillance.

The head of domestic security in the Damascus region, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He continued that security personnel at the institution and other persons were being interrogated.

The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, contains the significant archaeological collection in Syria.

It features ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the ancient era from historical site, where evidence of the earliest linguistic system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, a significant historical locations of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was built at another archaeological site.

The museum was forced to close in 2012, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the collection was transferred and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It began limited operations in 2018 and resumed full operations in January 2025, a month after insurgents removed Syria's former leader.

Every one of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the civil war.

The Islamic State group blew up multiple ancient buildings and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were un-Islamic. Unesco condemned the damage as a violation.

Many cultural items were also damaged or taken from archaeological sites and collections.