Historic Sculptures Taken from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus

Ancient statues and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.

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

The multiple taken statues were marble creations and originated to the Roman era, an authority informed the media outlet.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a collection of exhibits", and that steps had been enacted to enhance security and observation methods.

The head of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He added that security personnel at the facility and other persons were being interrogated.

The cultural institution, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the most important cultural treasures in the country.

It includes clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where proof of the most ancient writing system was discovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was established at an ancient location.

The institution was forced to close in 2012, a year after the start of the internal strife. A large portion of the holdings was removed and kept at secret locations to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, a month after opposition groups overthrew Syria's former leader.

All six of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group demolished numerous temples and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were against their beliefs. International authorities denounced the demolition as a atrocity.

Many historical objects were also destroyed or taken from dig sites and collections.