Islamic State militants launched a deadly attack on villagers collecting truffles in eastern Syria, resulting in at least 18 fatalities and numerous injuries and disappearances. The assault occurred near the town of Kobajeb in the Deir el-Zour province, bordering Iraq, marking one of the most severe strikes by the Islamic State group in the region in over a year. Truffle hunters, who often work in large groups in remote areas, were targeted by IS militants, with some individuals potentially being kidnapped for ransom.
Despite the defeat of the militant group in Syria in March 2019, IS sleeper cells continue to carry out lethal attacks in Syria and neighboring Iraq, where they once established an Islamic caliphate. The truffles being harvested are a sought-after seasonal delicacy that fetch high prices, prompting many Syrians, a majority of whom live below the poverty line, to engage in truffle collection.
