A collision between two passenger buses in Syria’s central-eastern desert region on Saturday resulted in at least 35 deaths and left 30 others injured, according to Syrian state media and health officials. The accident occurred on the Damascus-Deir Ezzor road, a key highway connecting the capital city Damascus with the eastern province of Deir al-Zour.
The Syrian Interior Ministry confirmed that one of the buses involved was carrying internal security forces personnel, while the other was transporting civilians. The ministry did not specify how many casualties were from security forces. Dr. Najib al-Naasan, director of the Health Ministry’s ambulance and emergency department, provided casualty figures and reported that emergency services, including military helicopters, were dispatched to the scene to assist with medical evacuations of the injured.
State news footage showed one of the buses engulfed in flames following the collision. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
The road linking Damascus and Deir al-Zour is often referred to as the "road of death" due to frequent accidents occurring there. The highway is known for its poor safety conditions, which reflect the broader deterioration of Syria’s civilian infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war.
Authorities continue to assess the situation, and recovery efforts are ongoing amid concerns over road safety standards in the region.