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Ancient artifacts and cultural objects have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.

The theft was discovered on Monday, when employees reportedly found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.

The six stolen sculptures were crafted from marble and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source stated to the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a group of items", and that steps had been enacted to strengthen protection and observation methods.

The head of internal security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was cited by the state-run Sana news agency as declaring that security forces were probing the theft, which he said had focused on several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".

He continued that museum protectors at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated.

The Damascus Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, holds the primary cultural treasures in Syria.

It features clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was uncovered; Greco-Roman period classical statues from historical site, among the foremost ancient sites of the historical period; and a 3rd Century AD religious building that was constructed 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 removed and stored at undisclosed sites to protect them.

It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in the beginning of the year, one month after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partly ruined during the internal struggle.

The IS organization blew up several ancient buildings and additional edifices at Palmyra, stating that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the destruction as a war crime.

Countless cultural items were also lost or taken from archaeological sites and collections.