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

The burglary was noticed on Monday, when staff reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the inside.

The multiple taken sculptures were crafted from marble and originated to the Roman period, one official told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "events surrounding the theft of a group of artifacts", and that steps had been enacted to enhance protection and monitoring systems.

The head of national security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was referenced by the government press as saying that security forces were probing the theft, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".

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

The Damascus Museum, which was created in 1919, contains the primary archaeological collection in the country.

It includes clay cuneiform tablets dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the most ancient linguistic system was found; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, a significant ancient sites of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was established at an ancient location.

The facility was had to cease operations in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the destructive conflict. Most of the holdings was transferred and stored at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in 2018 and resumed full operations in early this year, four weeks after rebel forces removed President Bashar al-Assad.

Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partially destroyed during the internal struggle.

The IS organization destroyed multiple temples and historical sites at the ancient city, stating that they were against their beliefs. Unesco condemned the destruction as a war crime.

Countless artefacts were also damaged or looted from historical locations and cultural institutions.