Thirty-five people have been killed and 30 injured in a collision between two passenger buses on the Deir Ezzor to Damascus road, a health ministry official told state news agency SANA.

The collision involved a bus carrying members of the Internal Security Forces and a civilian passenger bus, SANA reported on Saturday, citing the interior ministry.

Defence Ministry helicopters helped evacuate the injured and recover the bodies, transporting them from Palmyra airport to a military hospital in Homs, SANA said.

Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al Shaibani offered condolences to the families of those killed and wished the injured a swift recovery.

Earlier, Alikhbaria TV reported that at least 19 people were killed and 27 others injured

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