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Valuable artifacts and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, officials say.

The robbery was noticed on the start of the week, when employees apparently found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.

The half-dozen taken pieces were marble creations and originated to the ancient Roman times, a source told the Associated Press.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had initiated an inquiry to determine the "circumstances surrounding the theft of a number of exhibits", and that actions had been taken to improve protection and observation methods.

The chief of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as declaring that law enforcement were investigating the incident, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and unique items".

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

The National Museum, which was founded in the early twentieth century, contains the significant cultural treasures in the country.

It includes ancient inscribed tablets tracing back to the 14th Century BC from Ugarit, where indications of the most ancient complete alphabet was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from historical site, one of the most important historical locations of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was established at an ancient location.

The institution was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the beginning of the destructive conflict. The majority of the artifacts was removed and kept at undisclosed sites to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, four weeks after opposition groups overthrew Syria's former leader.

Each of the six of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or partly ruined during the civil war.

The IS organization destroyed several religious structures and historical sites at the ancient city, asserting that they were un-Islamic. The cultural organization censured the damage as a war crime.

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