Landmine Blast in Raqqa Kills 15 Civilians While Foraging for Truffles

A landmine explosion on Sunday claimed the lives of at least 15 civilians in Syria’s Raqqa province. The victims, who were foraging for truffles, accidentally detonated mines left behind by the Islamic State (IS) group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring organization, reported that the explosion led to more than eight individuals being injured, several of whom are in critical condition. This latest catastrophe adds to a growing tally of civilian casualties from unexploded ordnance in the region. Since the beginning of the year, the observatory has recorded 36 civilian deaths—including seven women and 17 children—attributable to mine and war remnant explosions. Additionally, 42 people have been injured, including a woman and 26 children.