DAMASCUS, March 16 (Xinhua) -- A landmine exploded among truffle collectors in Syria's northern al-Raqqa province on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 people, as reported by a war monitor.
The explosion occurred while a team of people were searching for truffles in the Sabkha region in the eastern rural area of al-Raqqa, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The landmine was suspected to have been left behind by remnants of the Islamic State (IS) group. Among those killed, nine were women. Additionally, at least six individuals suffered severe injuries among the casualties.
The observatory has recorded a total of 74 fatalities from landmine explosions and other ordnances across Syria since January 2024. ■
