According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH), eight civilians were killed and more than 35 others injured while picking desert truffles by an anti-personnel mine explosion in eastern Syria on Thursday.
For its part, the official Sana news agency stated that “five citizens were killed and more than 40 injured” “by the explosion of a mine” left by Daesh terrorists (Arabic acronym for the group “Islamic State (IS)”) ). ‘Editors note’ as the truck transporting them to Deir Ezzor province drove by.
This accident came three days after the explosion of two other mines left by ISIS, which Sana said killed 10 civilians and injured 12 others in Hama province (centre), also while they were harvesting truffles.
In mid-February, an attack attributed to IS killed 68 people who were also collecting truffles in eastern Homs province (centre), according to OSDH, a UK-based NGO with an extensive network of sources in the country in war.
The Syrian desert truffle, considered one of the best in the world, is generally picked between February and April and sold at exorbitant prices.
ISIS controlled large areas of Syria from 2014, encompassing almost all of Deir Ezzor province, before being expelled in March 2019 during the jihadist group’s territorial defeat.
Nearly 10.2 million Syrians live in areas where explosive devices remain, which the UN says killed around 15,000 people between 2015 and 2022.
The country has been plagued by conflict since 2011 that has claimed half a million lives and displaced millions of residents.