At least 35 killed in bus collision on Syria's Deir ez-Zor-Damascus road

At least 35 people have been killed and 30 others injured after two buses collided on Syria's Deir ez-Zor-Damascus road, according to official and state media reports. The crash happened on Saturday between Al-Sukhnah and Palmyra, on a highway that links eastern Syria with the capital. The road is described as a crucial route and one with poor safety standards.

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The Ministry of Interior said one of the buses was carrying members of the Internal Security Forces, while the other was transporting civilians. Ambulances were dispatched to the scene, and helicopters were also sent to medically evacuate the injured to Homs Military Hospital, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency. The collision took place on a stretch of road that runs for more than 400 kilometres and is widely used for long-distance travel.

The scale of the casualties makes this one of the deadliest road accidents reported in Syria in recent months. The involvement of Internal Security Forces members adds an official dimension to the incident, while the number of civilians affected underlines the wider human toll. The response also shows the reliance on both ground and air evacuation in reaching injured people from a remote desert highway.

The crash comes against the backdrop of Syria's damaged civilian infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war. Road safety has been a persistent concern, and in October Minister of Disaster Management and Emergency Response Raed al-Saleh said more than 2,000 road traffic accidents had occurred between January and the end of September. He said such accidents were among the leading causes of death in the country.

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The Deir ez-Zor-Damascus road is a key transport corridor because it connects the east of the country with the capital. Its condition has been repeatedly linked to safety risks, according to the information provided. The latest collision highlights the continuing strain on transport networks and emergency services in a country still dealing with the effects of prolonged conflict.

It remains unclear what caused the buses to collide and whether any further fatalities may be reported. Officials have not yet given a detailed account of the circumstances of the crash. The main immediate focus is the treatment of the injured and the recovery operation at the scene.

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