At least 35 people were killed and 30 others injured Saturday when two passenger buses collided head-on on a highway linking eastern Syria with Damascus, in one of the country's deadliest road accidents in recent years, Syrian state media reported.

The crash occurred on the Deir al-Zor-Damascus highway between the towns of Al-Sukhnah and Palmyra, a key route connecting Syria's eastern provinces with the capital and other major population centers. The Health Ministry confirmed the death toll to state news agency SANA.

According to the Interior Ministry, one of the buses was carrying members of the Internal Security Forces, while the other was transporting civilian passengers. Authorities have not yet disclosed what caused the collision, and an investigation is underway.

Emergency crews, ambulances and Syrian Civil Defence teams rushed to the scene, where firefighters extinguished a blaze that erupted after the crash and medics treated survivors before transferring them to nearby hospitals.

The Defense Ministry deployed military helicopters to evacuate the injured and recover the victims' bodies. The casualties were airlifted from Palmyra airport to a military hospital in Homs for treatment and further procedures.

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani expressed condolences to the families of those killed, describing the crash as a national tragedy. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery and called for the protection of Syrians from further harm.

The collision underscores Syria's continuing road safety challenges after years of conflict severely damaged much of the country's transportation infrastructure. Major highways have deteriorated because of limited maintenance, leaving motorists to navigate potholes, worn road surfaces, poor lighting and inadequate signage.

Syrian Civil Defence teams responded to about 3,000 traffic accidents nationwide in 2025, with highways accounting for a significant share of the incidents. Disaster management officials have repeatedly warned that road accidents remain one of the country's leading causes of death.

Earlier reports from state media listed a lower casualty toll before health officials confirmed that at least 35 people had died and 30 others were injured. Authorities have not said whether speed, mechanical failure or road conditions contributed to the crash.