26 Iraqis among 32 dead as fuel truck collides with passenger buses in Syria

At least 26 Iraqis were among those killed in a Syrian highway accident on Saturday night, in which a fuel truck collided with passenger buses and other cars, Iraqi's foreign ministry spokesman said on Sunday.

Syrian state media quoted local officials saying at least 32 were killed in the accident and 77 were injured.

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency, shows a wrecked passenger bus after it reportedly collided with a fuel tanker near Damascus. AFP

Iraq's foreign ministry spokesman Ahmad Al Sahhaf said at least 16 Iraqis were also injured in what he described as a "regretful” traffic accident, and not a militant attack. He said the bodies will be transported to Iraq. Iraqi politicians called for an investigation, saying the passengers were Shiite pilgrims on their way to visit shrines in Damascus, which has been largely protected from the ongoing war. But such convoys have previously come under attack from armed groups.

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Syria's Interior Minister Mohammed Khaled Rahmoun, who visited the area outside the capital of Damascus late on Saturday, told reporters faulty brakes apparently caused the driver to lose control of the fuel truck. He said at least 15 other vehicles were damaged.

A handout picture released by the Syrian Arab News Agency, shows a wrecked passenger bus after it reportedly collided with a fuel tanker. AFP

A video from the scene of the crash showed a number of badly mangled vehicles, damaged passenger buses with broken windshields and twisted frames, while forklifts worked to remove them from the highway.

Syria's infrastructure has been devastated by the ongoing civil war, which enters its tenth year next week. Footage aired on state media showed rescue teams deployed around the mangled remains of two cars. SANA released photos of a passenger bus with one end blown off.

Victims of the crash are believed to include Shiite Iraqi pilgrims visiting holy shrines near the capital.

Holy sites in Syria continue to be popular among Shiite pilgrims from across the region, despite an eight-year war that has displaced millions.

Agencies