North Press documents killing, injury of 266 truffle hunters in Syria
RAQQA, Syria (North Press) – The Monitoring and Documentation Department of North Press Agency documented the killing and injury of 266 truffle hunters across Syria as the season finished.
Each year, hundreds of Syrians risk their lives in the vast Syrian Desert, which is rich in high-quality truffles. The late winter season is largely seen as an opportunity to earn a good income, due to the high prices paid for the desert delicacy, despite the threats of landmines and Islamic State (ISIS) presence.
As the truffles season ended, the toll of victims due to remnants of war, attacks, and explosion has reached 266 people.
205 were killed, including 13 ladies, 164 men, and 28 military personnel, and 61 were injured, including 51men, 6 military personnel, and 4 children, according to the Department.
The victims were distributed as follows: 92 people were killed and 15 were injured in Homs, 59 were killed and 26 were injured in Deir ez-Zor, 45 were killed and 20 were injured in Hama, 3 were killed in Aleppo, and 6 were killed in Raqqa.
Additionally, dozens of truffle hunters were kidnapped in the Syrian Desert, especially in Hama countryside, and their fate has not been known.