Militant-Planted Mine Kills Six Civilians in Eastern Syria
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Six civilians were killed in eastern Deir ez-Zur governorate in Syria by a mine planted by militants, according to the Sham FM radio station on Sunday.
The incident occurred near the border between Deir ez-Zur and Raqqa governorates as the victims were foraging truffles.
Truffles grow in the dry desert areas of Syria where militants tend to hide. They plant mines around their shelters and launch ambushes on military patrols and locals. Truffle digging has claimed many lives, including women and children, in recent years in Syria's central, northeastern, and eastern regions.
Takfiri militant groups have left explosives in fields, along roads, and in buildings, killing hundreds of civilians and injuring thousands more.
The United Nations estimates that more than 10 million people in Syria live in areas contaminated by explosive hazards.