Explosives while searching for pricey truffles in Syria; Photo: File
Damascus: 10 hunters wandering in the desert in search of the rarest and most expensive fruit (a type of mushroom) found in the desert regions of Syria became victims of a mine explosion.
According to the World News Agency, 10 people were killed and 2 injured in a mine explosion in the desert area of Al-Salmiya in the central province of Hama, Syria.
The dead and injured were searching for the world-famous and rare truffle (a type of mushroom and fungus) that grows underground in the area, for which trained dogs are used.
While searching for truffles, these men were hit by a land mine. 10 people were also injured in another mine explosion in the same area. They were also looking for truffles.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor, 112 people were killed in landmines or ISIS attacks between February and April last year during the fruit season.
This fruit is bought all over the world at high prices. A kilo of the precious truffle sells for between $5 and $10 in a country where the average monthly salary is about $18.
The Syrian government has declared ISIS responsible for these mines.
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