At least 35 people were killed and 30 others injured when two buses collided on Saturday on the Deir Az Zor–Damascus road in Syria. The crash occurred between the towns of al-Sukhnah and Palmyra, a section of a critical highway that links eastern Syria with the capital.

The Deir Az Zor–Damascus road is a vital artery, stretching over 400 kilometers (249 miles). Its poor safety standards highlight the challenging state of Syria's infrastructure, which has been severely impacted by years of civil war.

According to the Ministry of Interior, one of the buses was carrying members of the Internal Security Forces, while the second bus was transporting civilians. Emergency services, including ambulances and helicopters, were dispatched to the scene to provide aid and transport the injured to Homs Military Hospital.

This incident underscores the ongoing dangers of road travel in Syria. In October, the Minister of Disaster Management and Emergency Response, Raed al-Saleh, reported that over 2,000 road traffic accidents had occurred between January and September, identifying them as a "leading cause of death in Syria."

The highway where the collision took place is known for its inadequate safety conditions. The long-running civil conflict has depleted resources for infrastructure maintenance, leading to deteriorating road networks and increased accident rates across the country.

Officials have been working to address the road safety crisis, but the scale of the problem is immense. The high number of fatalities in single incidents, like the bus collision, points to the severity of the issue.

Similar incidents have been reported in the region, reflecting broader challenges with transportation safety in conflict-affected areas. The lack of investment in road maintenance and vehicle safety contributes to the high frequency of accidents.

Further investigations into the exact cause of the crash are expected, but the immediate focus remains on rescue efforts and providing medical care to the survivors. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the daily risks faced by civilians and security personnel traveling on Syrian roads.