According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 55 people have died in Syria since the start of the year due to landmine explosions. Among them were 18 children and two women. Many of the landmines were discovered in previously rebel-held areas or battle zones, causing harm to civilians who now live in those regions.
On Thursday, five more people died in the Salamiyeh area of Hama province. Among them were truffle collectors who stepped on a landmine that had been left by Islamic State (IS) terrorists. A total of 118 people, including 28 children and four women, were injured in landmine explosions during this time period.
Many of the victims were farmers or workers who were collecting truffles in the desert region, and have become targets for IS fighters.
In February, IS killed 64 truffle collectors, many of them by landmine explosions, in eastern Syria, according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency.