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Valuable sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, authorities report.

The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the interior.

The multiple missing statues were marble creations and originated to the ancient Roman times, an authority stated to the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to identify the "details surrounding the disappearance of a number of exhibits", and that measures had been enacted to improve protection and monitoring systems.

The director of internal security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as declaring that authorities were probing the robbery, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and unique items".

He continued that museum protectors at the museum and other persons were being interviewed.

The cultural institution, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the primary cultural treasures in Syria.

It features ancient inscribed tablets originating to the ancient era from Ugarit, where evidence of the most ancient linguistic system was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from the ancient city, one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world; and a third century religious building that was established at Dura Europos.

The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, a year after the start of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the collection was removed and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in 2018 and resumed full operations in the beginning of the year, four weeks after rebel forces overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

Each of the six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were harmed or significantly impacted during the civil war.

The Islamic State group demolished numerous ancient buildings and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were against their beliefs. Unesco condemned the damage as a war crime.

Countless cultural items were also destroyed or looted from historical locations and collections.