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Historic sculptures and cultural objects have been removed from Syria's National Museum in the capital, sources confirm.

The robbery was found on the start of the week, when staff reportedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior.

The six missing pieces were crafted from marble and traced back to the Roman era, a source told the Associated Press.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to determine the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of exhibits", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen protection and surveillance.

The head of internal security in the capital area, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were probing the incident, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and rare collectibles".

He added that guards at the facility and other persons were being questioned.

The cultural institution, which was created in 1919, houses the primary cultural treasures in the country.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets originating to the Bronze Age from an ancient city, where indications of the earliest 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 religious building that was established at another archaeological site.

The museum was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the internal strife. Most of the artifacts was transferred and stored at secret locations to ensure their safety.

It partially resumed in 2018 and returned to normal in early this year, one month after opposition groups deposed Syria's former leader.

All six of Syria's Unesco World Heritage sites were affected or partly ruined during the internal struggle.

The militant faction blew up numerous temples and additional edifices at Palmyra, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities denounced the demolition as a atrocity.

Many artefacts were also lost or taken from historical locations and collections.