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Historic artifacts and additional items have been taken from Syria's National Museum in the capital, authorities report.

The burglary was found on the start of the week, when employees allegedly found that one of the museum's doors had been damaged from the inside.

The multiple taken statues were marble creations and dated back to the Roman period, one official told the media outlet.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had launched a probe to establish the "details surrounding the disappearance of a group of exhibits", and that measures had been taken to improve security and surveillance.

The chief of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was cited by the government press as saying that authorities were investigating the incident, which he said had affected several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

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

The Damascus Museum, which was established in the early twentieth century, holds the most important archaeological collection in Syria.

It contains historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from Ugarit, where indications of the most ancient writing system was discovered; early centuries CE classical statues from the ancient city, one of the most important historical locations of the ancient world; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at an ancient location.

The facility was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the start of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the artifacts was evacuated and kept at undisclosed sites to protect them.

It partially resumed in recent years and completely reopened in January 2025, a month after rebel forces deposed President Bashar al-Assad.

All six of nationally recognized sites were damaged or partly ruined during the conflict.

The militant faction demolished numerous ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, claiming that they were idolatrous. International authorities censured the damage as a war crime.

Countless cultural items were also destroyed or taken from archaeological sites and cultural institutions.