Valuable Sculptures Removed from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus

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

The theft was noticed on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that a doorway had been forced from the interior.

The six stolen pieces were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman period, an authority told the media outlet.

Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that measures had been implemented to improve safeguarding and surveillance.

The chief of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as saying that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".

He added that guards at the institution and other individuals were being interviewed.

The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the significant cultural treasures in Syria.

It contains clay cuneiform tablets tracing back to the ancient era from historical site, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, a significant historical locations of the classical era; and a ancient synagogue that was constructed at Dura Europos.

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 safeguard them.

It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, a month after insurgents removed Syria's former leader.

Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or significantly impacted during the civil war.

The IS organization demolished multiple ancient buildings and historical sites at Palmyra, asserting that they were idolatrous. Unesco censured the destruction as a atrocity.

Numerous historical objects were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.