President Barzani Offers Sympathy to Syria After Fatal Highway Collision

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - President Masoud Barzani has conveyed his condolences to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa following a deadly traffic accident in Syria that resulted in significant loss of life and injuries, expressing sympathy with the Syrian leadership and people affected by the tragedy.

Barzani’s message, delivered on Sunday, reflected a humanitarian gesture between neighboring societies following one of the country’s most serious recent road accidents.

The statement emphasized solidarity during a period of mourning and underscored the importance of regional leaders extending support when communities face major civilian tragedies.

The condolence message came after a severe collision on the Deir ez-Zor–Damascus highway, where a bus carrying members of Syria’s Internal Security Forces collided head-on with a civilian passenger bus.

Preliminary reports from Syrian authorities and state media indicated that dozens of people were killed and injured in the crash.

Emergency teams responded to the scene in the desert area between Al-Sukhnah and Palmyra (Tadmur), where rescue operations were complicated by the remote location and the severity of the accident.

Syrian Civil Defense teams worked to control fires, recover victims, provide first aid, and transfer injured passengers to nearby medical facilities.

The crash has drawn renewed attention to safety concerns along the Deir ez-Zor–Damascus route, a major transport corridor that passes through sparsely populated areas.

Local communities have previously raised concerns about road conditions, limited emergency access, and infrastructure challenges along parts of the highway.

While the accident itself remains under investigation, authorities have continued recovery efforts and are expected to provide updated casualty figures once operations are completed.

Barzani’s response placed emphasis on the human dimension of the tragedy rather than the circumstances surrounding the collision, reflecting a broader tradition of diplomatic communication during times of national hardship.

Messages of condolence between regional leaders often serve as expressions of shared concern for civilian suffering and support for affected communities.

The gesture also comes within the context of continued engagement between the Kurdistan Region and neighboring countries, where humanitarian and diplomatic communication remains an important part of regional relations.

As Syria continues to respond to the aftermath of the crash, Barzani’s message represents a public expression of sympathy toward those affected and highlights the role of humanitarian solidarity in relations between neighboring societies.