16 truffle pickers were killed in a mine explosion, says an NGO

As the conflict has just entered its 14th year, At least 16 people, who were looking for truffles, were killed on Saturday March 16 in Syria. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH), their vehicle hit a mine in the desert of Raqqa province, in the north of the country, a former stronghold of the Islamic State (IS) group. “Others were seriously injured,” added the NGO, specifying that more than 20 civilians were on board a small truck at the time of the explosion.

ISIS, which took control of entire sections of the country from 2014, was territorially defeated in March 2019 by an international anti-jihadist coalition led by the United States, as well as Kurdish forces. But cells of the jihadist organization scattered across the desert regularly carry out deadly attacks, particularly during the rainy season, between February and April, the only time of year when sand truffles can be collected.

These mushrooms fetch high prices in a country in the midst of an economic crisis, where their harvest can represent an interesting livelihood. According to the OSDH, IS jihadists often attack residents who go looking for truffles in isolated areas. Despite frequent warnings from authorities, this high-risk activity continues.