At least 35 people were killed and 30 others injured after two passenger buses collided on Syria's Deir ez-Zor-Damascus highway on Saturday, according to the country's Health Ministry.
The crash occurred on the highway between Al-Sukhnah and Palmyra, a key route linking eastern Syria with the capital, Damascus.
According to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the collision involved a bus carrying members of the Internal Security Forces and a civilian passenger bus.
Authorities dispatched ambulances and medical helicopters to the scene to evacuate the injured to Homs Military Hospital.
The Interior Ministry said rescue teams responded immediately, while officials warned that the death toll could change as emergency operations continued.
Road safety concerns
The Deir ez-Zor-Damascus highway is known for poor road conditions and deteriorating infrastructure after nearly 14 years of civil war.
In October, Syria's Minister of Disaster Management and Emergency Response, Raed al-Saleh, said more than 2,000 road accidents had been recorded between January and September.
He described traffic accidents as one of the leading causes of death in Syria, citing damaged infrastructure, poor road conditions and limited safety measures.
