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Ancient sculptures and other artefacts have been stolen from Syria's National Museum in the capital, authorities report.

The robbery was found on Monday, when museum workers allegedly found that a doorway had been damaged from the interior.

The six missing statues were crafted from marble and traced back to the ancient Roman times, an authority informed the media outlet.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to identify the "details surrounding the theft of a collection of items", and that steps had been implemented to strengthen security and surveillance.

The chief of national security in Damascus province, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the government press as stating that law enforcement were investigating the robbery, which he said had focused on several "archaeological statues and valuable objects".

He noted that security personnel at the institution and additional people were being interviewed.

The Damascus Museum, which was founded in 1919, houses the significant cultural treasures in the country.

It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was discovered; Greco-Roman period ancient art from historical site, a significant cultural centres of the historical period; and a third century synagogue that was constructed at another archaeological site.

The institution was forced to close in 2012, a year after the outbreak of the internal strife. Most of the collection was evacuated and stored at secret locations to protect them.

It reopened partially in 2018 and completely reopened in early this year, four weeks after rebel forces deposed Syria's former leader.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were affected or partly ruined during the internal struggle.

The Islamic State group destroyed multiple temples and other structures at the archaeological site, claiming that they were un-Islamic. International authorities censured the damage as a war crime.

Countless historical objects were also damaged or looted from historical locations and collections.