A serious road accident in central Syria has claimed the lives of at least 35 people and left at least 30 others injured.
The incident, which is described as one of the worst such tragedies in the country in recent years, occurred on the highway connecting the capital Damascus with the province of Deir ez-Zor.
According to information from the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency SANA, two passenger buses collided head-on. One of them was carrying internal security forces personnel, and the other – civilians.
What is known about the incident so far?
Location of the tragedy: The collision occurred in a desert section of the road between the cities of Al-Sukhna and Palmyra, located in the eastern part of Homs province. Fire broke out: As a result of the strong impact, one of the buses burst into flames, which made it difficult to remove the bodies from the wreckage. Mass evacuation: The director of the Emergency Medical Services Directorate, Najib al-Naasan, confirmed the number of victims to SANA. Multiple ambulances were immediately dispatched to the scene, and the Ministry of Defense mobilized military helicopters to airlift the most seriously injured to the Homs Military Hospital.
The Problem with the Destroyed Infrastructure in Syria
Official authorities are still investigating the exact causes of the serious incident. However, local media emphasize that this route is known for its extremely low safety standards and is often called the “road of death“.
After nearly 14 years of civil conflict, Syria's transport infrastructure is in critical condition. Most roads in the eastern regions have not been maintained for 15 years. Lack of lighting, worn-out pavements, high speed and lack of technical maintenance of vehicles remain among the main causes of mortality in the country. Just a day before this tragedy, the Syrian Civil Defense had responded to 19 other road accidents with casualties and injuries.
The international community, including the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has already expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and the Syrian people.