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

The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that an entrance had been broken from the inside.

The six missing pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, a source stated to the news agency.

Cultural heritage officials said it had launched a probe to establish the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a group of artifacts", and that measures had been enacted to improve protection and monitoring systems.

The chief of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as stating that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".

He noted that guards at the museum and other individuals were being interviewed.

The National Museum, which was created in 1919, contains the most important historical artifacts in Syria.

It includes historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where proof of the oldest known linguistic system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, one of the most important ancient sites of the historical period; and a ancient synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.

The museum was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, a year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. The majority of the artifacts was transferred and kept at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the civil war.

The militant faction blew up several temples and other structures at Palmyra, asserting that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization denounced the destruction as a violation.

Countless artefacts were also damaged or looted from historical locations and museums.