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Late on February 11, ISIS cells attacked a group of civilians who were reportedly hunting for truffles in Syria’s central region.
The group was collecting truffles some 70 kilometers to the south of the ancient city of Palmyra in the eastern Homs countryside when they were attacked by the terrorists. The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that four, including a woman, were killed and at least ten others were wounded in the attack.
According to the state-run agency, the death toll from the terrorist attack could rise as some of the wounded, who were moved to the Palmyra National Hospital, are currently in a life threatening condition.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said in a report that at least 75 other civilians were also abducted by ISIS terrorists during the attack south of Palmyra. However, this is yet to be confirmed.
ISIS cells in central Syria attacked truffle hunters and sheepherders on several occasions over the last few years, mainly to steal their vehicles, money and belongings.
The terrorist group’s insurgency in the central region slowed down in the last few months. However, it is clearly still far from being over.
The deadly terrorist attack near Palmyra came amid ongoing rescue operations in northern and western Syria after the February 6 earthquake, which claimed the lives of nearly 30,000 people in the country and neighboring Turkey. The Syrian military and security forces have been busy aiding rescue efforts. ISIS cells in the central region are apparently trying to take advantage of the catastrophe.
