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Ancient sculptures and additional items have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.

The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.

The multiple missing statues were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman period, an authority told the media outlet.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to enhance security and monitoring systems.

The chief of national security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as stating that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

He continued that security personnel at the facility and other persons were being interviewed.

The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, contains the primary cultural treasures in Syria.

It contains historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known linguistic system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, one of the most important cultural centres of the classical era; and a third century Jewish temple that was built at Dura Europos.

The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the holdings was evacuated and stored at secure places to protect them.

It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, one month after opposition groups deposed the Assad regime.

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

The IS organization blew up several religious structures and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. Unesco denounced the destruction as a war crime.

Numerous cultural items were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and collections.