An assault by the Islamic State (IS) resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals while they were hunting desert truffles in northern Syria on Sunday, according to a monitoring organization.
This incident marks the latest in a series of similar attacks.
Each year, from February to April, numerous Syrians, facing economic hardship, venture into the expansive Syrian desert to search for this prized delicacy, despite the risks posed by jihadists and landmines.
Desert truffles command significant prices in a nation grappling with over a decade of conflict and severe economic turmoil.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that IS militants detonated a bomb as a group of truffle collectors passed by in their vehicle in the desert of Raqa province. Following the explosion, the assailants opened fire.
The Observatory, which relies on a network of sources within Syria, indicated that residents were still attempting to locate missing individuals, while also highlighting that three hunters had been abducted by the jihadists.
Although a military campaign, supported by a coalition led by the United States, led to the territorial defeat of IS in March 2019, remnants of the group persist in hiding within the desert and carrying out deadly attacks.
IS’s influence extends beyond Syria, as evidenced by its claim of responsibility for an attack on a concert hall in Moscow, Russia, which resulted in 137 fatalities.
This recent tragedy follows a similar incident in March, where 19 truffle collectors lost their lives in an area of Raqa province known for the presence of IS extremists when their vehicle triggered a mine.
