Valuable Sculptures Stolen from Syria's National Museum Located in Damascus

Ancient sculptures and cultural objects have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in the capital, sources confirm.

The burglary was discovered on the start of the week, when museum workers allegedly found that an entrance had been damaged from the interior.

The six taken sculptures were made of marble and traced back to the Roman period, a source told the news agency.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had opened an investigation to establish the "events surrounding the theft of a number of exhibits", and that actions had been implemented to strengthen security and observation methods.

The director of internal security in Damascus province, General Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the state-run Sana news agency as stating that law enforcement were investigating the theft, which he said had targeted several "ancient sculptures and rare collectibles".

He noted that museum protectors at the facility and additional people were being questioned.

The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the significant archaeological collection in the country.

It features historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from historical site, where evidence of the most ancient writing system was found; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the classical era; and a ancient religious building that was established at Dura Europos.

The facility was compelled to shut in 2012, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. The majority of the collection was evacuated and stored at secure places to protect them.

It reopened partially in recent years and completely reopened in early this year, four weeks after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.

Each of the six of nationally recognized sites were harmed or partly ruined during the conflict.

The Islamic State group blew up numerous ancient buildings and other structures at the ancient city, stating that they were un-Islamic. Unesco condemned the damage as a atrocity.

Countless historical objects were also destroyed or looted from dig sites and cultural institutions.