At least 19 people hunting for truffles in the desert were killed in Syria when a landmine exploded and destroyed the van they were traveling in.. This was revealed by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based NGO. This season many Syrians risk their lives to look for truffles in the desert in the north of the country, strewn with bombs.
The van was carrying more than 20 people; Repeated deadly explosions have occurred in recent weeks. Authorities have often warned against this high-risk practice. Earlier this month, ISIS-linked gunmen killed 18 people, mostly civilians, in a desert attack on a group of truffle hunters, the Observatory had reported, while last month, a landmine killed 14 people.