File photo of a microbus crash
The crash occurred near Al-Ghanayem centre.
A source within Assiut governorate told local media the truck was travelling against the flow of traffic when it collided with the minibus, which was en route from Aswan to Cairo.
First responders rushed to the accident site, transporting the victims to nearby hospitals.
Cranes and other equipment cleared the wreckage and restored traffic flow.
The Public Prosecution has opened an investigation into the fatal incident.
Several accidents occured on the Western Desert Road in recenet years.
The government has expanded and upgraded road networks and implemented road-safety measures to reduce fatal incidents.
Egypt recorded 5,861 road accident fatalities in 2023, a decrease from 7,762 in 2022.
However, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), injuries rose from 55,991 in 2022 to 71,016 in 2023.
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