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Historic artifacts and additional items have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.

The theft was noticed on Monday, when museum workers reportedly found that a doorway had been forced from the interior.

The six stolen pieces were made of marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, one official told the Associated Press.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "circumstances surrounding the loss of a number of items", and that measures had been enacted to enhance protection and surveillance.

The director of domestic security in Damascus province, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was cited by the government press as stating that security forces were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He added that guards at the museum and additional people were being interrogated.

The National Museum, which was founded in 1919, holds the significant historical artifacts in the country.

It features ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where evidence of the oldest known complete alphabet was found; early centuries CE ancient art from Palmyra, a significant ancient sites of the classical era; and a third century religious building that was established at another archaeological site.

The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, one year after the beginning of the devastating civil war. The majority of the artifacts was removed and kept at secure places to safeguard them.

It began limited operations in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew the Assad regime.

All six of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.

The militant faction destroyed several ancient buildings and other structures at Palmyra, stating that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the damage as a atrocity.

Countless artefacts were also destroyed or stolen from historical locations and cultural institutions.