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Valuable statues and cultural objects have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, officials say.

The robbery was discovered on the start of the week, when museum workers reportedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.

The six stolen statues were made of marble and originated to the Roman period, one official told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had launched a probe to determine the "events surrounding the theft of a number of exhibits", and that steps had been enacted to enhance security and monitoring systems.

The director of domestic security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that security forces were probing the theft, which he said had targeted several "historical artifacts and unique items".

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

The cultural institution, which was founded in 1919, holds the most important historical artifacts in Syria.

It features ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from Ugarit, where indications of the earliest linguistic system was uncovered; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from Palmyra, a significant cultural centres of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at an ancient location.

The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, one year after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the holdings was transferred and preserved at secure places to protect them.

It began limited operations in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, four weeks after opposition groups removed President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war.

The militant faction destroyed numerous temples and historical sites at Palmyra, stating that they were against their beliefs. Unesco censured the demolition as a violation.

Countless historical objects were also damaged or looted from archaeological sites and museums.