Ancient Artifacts Stolen from the National Museum in Damascus

Valuable sculptures and other artefacts have been stolen from the National Museum of Syria in Damascus, authorities report.

The robbery was found on Monday, when staff apparently found that an entrance had been forced from the interior.

The half-dozen stolen pieces were marble creations and dated back to the Roman period, an authority told the Associated Press.

The nation's antiquities authority said it had initiated an inquiry to establish the "events surrounding the disappearance of a number of artifacts", and that actions had been enacted to improve security and observation methods.

The director of domestic security in the Damascus region, General Osama Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as declaring that law enforcement were examining the incident, which he said had affected several "ancient sculptures and valuable objects".

He added that museum protectors at the institution and other persons were being interrogated.

The cultural institution, which was created in the early twentieth century, holds the significant archaeological collection in Syria.

It contains ancient inscribed tablets dating back to the ancient era from an ancient city, where evidence of the oldest known linguistic system was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD ancient art from the ancient city, among the foremost historical locations of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD Jewish temple that was constructed at Dura Europos.

The facility was compelled to shut in the early 2010s, one year after the start of the devastating civil war. Most of the collection was transferred and kept at secure places to ensure their safety.

It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in early this year, one month after opposition groups overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.

Every one of the country's cultural landmarks were harmed or partially destroyed during the conflict.

The Islamic State group demolished several temples and other structures at the archaeological site, stating that they were un-Islamic. Unesco censured the destruction as a violation.

Countless artefacts were also lost or taken from historical locations and collections.