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Historic artifacts and cultural objects have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.

The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that an entrance had been forced from the inside.

The six taken pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, one official informed the media outlet.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to identify the "circumstances surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that steps had been taken to enhance security and monitoring systems.

The chief of internal 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 affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He added that museum protectors at the museum and other individuals were being questioned.

The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, houses the most important historical artifacts in the country.

It features clay cuneiform tablets originating to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the earliest writing system was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from Palmyra, among the foremost ancient sites of the ancient world; and a ancient synagogue that was built at an ancient location.

The museum was forced to close in the early 2010s, one year after the beginning of the internal strife. A large portion of the collection was evacuated and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, four weeks after rebel forces deposed Syria's former leader.

Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partially destroyed during the conflict.

The IS organization demolished numerous religious structures and historical sites at the archaeological site, stating that they were against their beliefs. International authorities condemned the damage as a violation.

Numerous historical objects were also destroyed or stolen from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.