At least 26 people searching for valuable truffles in the Syrian desert, have been killed by the Islamic State group. Civilians and pro-government fighters were among the victims of the Islamic State attack on Monday, April 17, 2023, in Hama province.
The Islamic State militants have reportedly preyed on those searching for the fungus, with more than 150 people already killed this year. A kilogram of this truffle, can fetch more than the country’s monthly average wage.
The Syrian observatory for Human Right(SOHR), a U.K-based monitoring group that relies on a wide network of sources, has placed the death toll at 36, claiming at least 17 fighters of pro-government national defense forces are dead.
Searching for truffle is considered a dangerous job, as hunters contend with landmines and I.S militants maintain their hideout in the desert, where they grow.
Moreover, those who face poverty and unemployment exacerbated by the war, risk the dangers as the fungus can sell for $25 per kg depending on the size and grade of the product. $25 per kg, is more than the average monthly salary of $18.
The window of time one can make money is small, as the truffle season only last from February to March.
There have been several attacks on foragers in months, with women and children among the victims. Last month, 15 truffle hunters were killed in central Syria, according to the Syrian Observatory Human Right(SOHR). Dozens of others are reportedly missing without trace.
Another incident in February, saw people massacred in an ambush in the western region of Homs. These attacks were carried out by gunmen, who suddenly appeared out from the deserts on a motor bike.16 people, mostly civilians, were mutilated in similar attacks, targeting foragers in the same area.
The activities of terrorism in Syria peaked in 2014, where swathes of territories in Syria and Iraq were captured by the Islamic State group. It imposed harsh rule on almost eight million people.
The Islamic State terror group, in 2019, saw its worst defeat by the coalition forces, led by the U.S and its allies, as they were driven away from their territories.
The Islamic State is currently estimated to have 5,000 to 7,000 member and supporters, spread between Iraq and Syria, roughly half of whom are fighters.
The Syrian Civil War
Syria has been rocked with a 12-year-long civil war that erupted after President Bashir al-Assad responded with deadly force, to a peaceful pro-democracy demonstration.
The genesis of the Syria civil war is marked by the painting of anti-government slogans by young Syrian students, that was deemed at the government of Bashir al-Assad. The government response to the students painting was not pleasant to the families and the pro-democracy group, and therefore, erupted in demonstrations across Syria.
The war has rendered half a million people dead and caused half of the country’s population flee their homes, with over six million refugees abroad.
It is estimated that more than fifteen million people inside Syria need humanitarian assistance. This includes over nine million people, that were affected by the recent 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which rocked southern Turkey and northern Syria, in February.
