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

The burglary was discovered on Monday, when employees reportedly found that a doorway had been broken from the inside.

The multiple missing pieces were marble creations and originated to the Roman period, an authority informed the Associated Press.

Cultural heritage officials said it had opened an investigation to identify the "events surrounding the loss of a collection of artifacts", and that measures had been implemented to improve safeguarding and observation methods.

The chief of internal security in the capital area, Security Chief Atkeh, was quoted by the official media as stating that law enforcement were examining the robbery, which he said had focused on several "historical artifacts and valuable objects".

He continued that security personnel at the institution and other individuals were being interrogated.

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

It contains historical records tracing back to the Bronze Age from historical site, where indications of the oldest known complete alphabet was found; 1st and 2nd Century AD classical statues from Palmyra, among the foremost historical locations of the ancient world; and a 3rd Century AD synagogue that was built at Dura Europos.

The institution was forced to close in 2012, one year after the outbreak of the devastating civil war. A large portion of the holdings was transferred and stored at secure places to protect them.

It reopened partially in recent years and returned to normal in the beginning of the year, one month after insurgents removed Syria's former leader.

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

The militant faction blew up multiple ancient buildings and additional edifices at the archaeological site, asserting that they were un-Islamic. Unesco condemned the demolition as a war crime.

Numerous artefacts were also damaged or stolen from historical locations and museums.