Six mushroom pickers who were gathering desert truffles were killed when a mine exploded near the Jabal al-Bashri area in the Deir ez-Zor province of northeastern Syria, according to Damascus FM. The radio station stated that six people died after stepping on a mine left by armed groups while searching for truffles near Jabal al-Bashri. The report highlighted the ongoing dangers faced by foragers in the region, where landmines and militant activity frequently threaten civilian lives.
Mushroom picking and desert truffle gathering have long been perilous activities in parts of Syria. In one recent incident, a truck carrying foragers to remote truffle sites was blown up by a mine planted by Islamic State militants, an organization banned in several countries. The blast occurred as the vehicle was traveling along a route used by teams hoping to locate desert truffles, resulting in seven deaths and at least 63 injuries. Damascus FM attributed the attack to ISIS militants operating in eastern Syria.
Earlier reports described another deadly event in which more than 50 Syrians were killed while collecting truffles after insurgent forces attacked a convoy in the Homs province. The violence underscores the persistent risk to civilians engaged in foraging in areas controlled or contested by various militant groups.
There were additional statements noting that one person died and another was seriously injured when a mine left by ISIS exploded in the eastern part of Syria’s Hama province. This incident, along with others, illustrates the broader pattern of mine contamination and militant interference in agricultural and foraging activities across the region, where foragers often operate without stable security.