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Ancient sculptures and additional items have been taken from Syria's National Museum in Damascus, officials say.

The theft was discovered on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.

The multiple missing pieces were made of marble and dated back to the ancient Roman times, a source told the media outlet.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the loss of a number of items", and that steps had been taken to improve protection and surveillance.

The chief of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He noted that security personnel at the museum and additional people were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, holds the significant historical artifacts in the country.

It contains historical records dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where indications of the most ancient complete alphabet was discovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, among the foremost ancient sites of the classical era; and a third century synagogue that was established at another archaeological site.

The museum was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the collection was evacuated and stored at undisclosed sites to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.

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

The Islamic State group demolished multiple temples and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were against their beliefs. Unesco censured the destruction as a war crime.

Many cultural items were also destroyed or stolen from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.