At least 35 people died and 30 others were injured in Syria on Saturday after a civilian bus collided with a vehicle carrying security personnel, according to the health ministry.
The crash took place in central Syria on the highway connecting Damascus to Deir al‑Zour, the ministry stated. Injuries varied from moderate to critical, and hospitals, health directorates, and blood banks in Homs and Rural Damascus were put on maximum alert.
The Syrian Interior Ministry posted on social media that one bus was transporting several members of the internal security forces and conveyed “deep sorrow” over the incident. Authorities have not yet disclosed a cause or indicated whether an investigation will be launched.
The Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, reported that its teams extinguished a fire that erupted from the crash. Social media photos from the force showed fire trucks and rescuers battling the blaze at the site.
Images posted by bystanders captured the damaged buses at the scene; one was heavily charred, while the other had its side ripped open, with seats scattered across the road.
The Civil Defense team said its personnel were administering first aid to the injured and assisting the defense ministry in evacuating them to a nearby hospital, as well as retrieving the victims’ bodies.
Fatal road accidents remain a chronic issue in Syria, where deteriorating infrastructure, damaged roads, inadequate lighting, excessive speed, and hazardous overtaking are commonly cited causes.
Years of conflict have further degraded much of the country’s transport network, and economic pressures have sustained the use of aging vehicles with limited upkeep.
Earlier on Saturday, the civil defense reported responding to 19 traffic accidents nationwide on Friday, which resulted in three fatalities and seven injuries.
