At Least 35 Killed, 30 Injured After Two Buses Collide on Syrian Highway

At least 35 people were killed and 30 others injured after two buses collided on a major highway in central Syria on Saturday, authorities said.

The crash occurred on the Deir ez-Zor–Damascus highway between the towns of al-Sukhnah and Palmyra, a key route connecting eastern Syria with the capital. The road has long been regarded as one of the country's most important transport corridors.

According to Syria's Ministry of Interior, one of the buses was carrying members of the Internal Security Forces, while the other was transporting civilian passengers. Authorities did not immediately disclose the identities of the victims or the cause of the collision.

Emergency response teams, including ambulances, were dispatched to the scene shortly after the crash. State-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported that military helicopters were also deployed to airlift critically injured passengers to Homs Military Hospital for urgent medical treatment.

The deadly accident has once again highlighted the poor condition of Syria's transportation infrastructure, which has suffered extensive damage during nearly 14 years of conflict. Many highways across the country remain in deteriorated condition, increasing the risk of serious traffic accidents.

Road safety continues to be a significant concern in Syria. Earlier, Disaster Management and Emergency Response Minister Raed al-Saleh said more than 2,000 road traffic accidents had been recorded between January and the end of September, describing traffic collisions as one of the country's leading causes of death.
 

Authorities have launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision as rescue and recovery operations continue. Officials have not yet confirmed whether weather, road conditions, vehicle failure or human error contributed to the tragedy.