Raqqa, Syria – Truffle hunters in the desolate Syrian Desert faced tragedy on Saturday when their vehicle struck a landmine, killing at least 19 people. The region, known for its abundance of truffles, has become a dangerous playground for impoverished Syrians risking their lives in search of the prized delicacy. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the victims, including 12 women, were caught in the blast in an area where Islamic State extremists reside in Raqa province.
The incident highlights the perilous conditions faced by civilians engaging in truffle hunting, a practice that has led to repeated deadly mine explosions in recent weeks. Despite warnings from authorities about the risks involved, the lure of high prices for truffles in a country grappling with a lengthy war and economic crisis continues to draw people into harm’s way.
In a similar attack earlier this month, gunmen believed to be linked to Islamic State killed 18 individuals, primarily civilians, in a desert assault on a group of truffle hunters. State media also reported that a landmine left by the extremist group claimed the lives of 14 people foraging for truffles in the Raqa desert last month. Despite losing its territorial stronghold in Syria in 2019, Islamic State remnants persist in the region, launching deadly attacks and targeting civilians, Kurdish-led forces, Syrian government troops, and pro-Iran fighters.
To compound the tragedy, Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple sites in southern Syria, causing injuries and further escalating tensions in the already volatile region. Syrian state media indicated that air defenses intercepted missiles fired from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The ongoing violence underscores the complex web of conflicts and threats facing civilians in war-torn Syria.