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Valuable artifacts and additional items have been taken from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.

The robbery was found on Monday, when museum workers apparently found that one of the museum's doors had been broken from the inside.

The multiple missing sculptures were made of marble and originated to the Roman period, one official stated to the news agency.

Syria's Directorate-General for Antiquities and Museums said it had opened an investigation to determine the "events surrounding the loss of a collection of items", and that measures had been enacted to strengthen safeguarding and surveillance.

The head of domestic security in the Damascus region, Brig-Gen Osama Atkeh, was referenced by the official media as declaring that law enforcement were probing the theft, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and rare collectibles".

He noted that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being questioned.

The Damascus Museum, which was created in the early twentieth century, houses the significant cultural treasures in the country.

It contains historical records dating back to the 14th Century BC from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was uncovered; Greco-Roman period Greco-Roman sculptures from the ancient city, among the foremost historical locations of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at another archaeological site.

The museum was had to cease operations in 2012, twelve months after the start of the destructive conflict. A large portion of the artifacts was transferred and preserved at secure places to protect them.

It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in January 2025, one month after insurgents deposed the Assad regime.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were damaged or significantly impacted during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group destroyed numerous religious structures and other structures at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. International authorities denounced the demolition as a war crime.

Numerous historical objects were also damaged or taken from historical locations and collections.