On 16 April 2023, 36

truffle A truffle is the Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, one of the species of the genus ''Tuber (fungus), Tuber''. More than one hundred other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including ''Geopora'', ''P ...

hunters were killed in the desert near

Hama Hama ( ', ) is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located north of Damascus and north of Homs. It is the provincial capital of the Hama Governorate. With a population of 996,000 (2023 census), Hama is one o ...

Hama Governorate Hama Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ḥamā'') is one of the 14 Governorates of Syria, governorates of Syria. It is situated in western-central Syria, bordering Idlib Governorate, Idlib and Aleppo Governorates to the north, Raqqa Gove ...

, Syria, when their group was attacked by

Islamic State The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...

insurgents. Seventeen of the dead were reportedly also pro-regime NDF fighters. During the same day, Islamic State gunmen opened fire at a group of

shepherd A shepherd is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations; it exists in many parts of the globe, and it is an important part of Pastoralism, pastoralist animal husbandry. ...

s near

Deir ez-Zor Deir ez-Zor () is the largest city in eastern Syria and the seventh largest in the country. Located on the banks of the Euphrates to the northeast of the capital Damascus, Deir ez-Zor is the capital of the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. In the 2018 ...

, killing five shepherds and 250

sheep Sheep (: sheep) or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are a domesticated, ruminant mammal typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to d ...

Background

Truffle hunting is a popular activity in many parts of Syria because of the value of truffles; one kilogram can be worth up to US$25, which is greater than the average monthly wage in that country. Islamic State insurgents have notably targeted truffle hunters in 2023, with attacks resulting in particularly high death tolls. On 17 February 2023, Islamic State militants attacked a group of truffle hunters in Al-Sukhnah in

Homs Governorate Homs Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ḥimṣ'') is one of the fourteen Governorates of Syria, governorates (provinces) of Syria. It is situated in central Syria. Its geography differs in various locations in the governorate, from to . ...

, killing 61 truffle hunters and 7 soldiers. Six days later on 23 February, IS militants killed 15 truffle hunters and kidnapped 40 others in

. Attacks on truffle hunters since February 2023 have resulted in more than 150 deaths.

Attack

During the attack, 36 people were killed in the desert near Hama in Hama Governorate. Seventeen of the dead truffle hunters were pro-regime NDF fighters. In a separate attack on the same day, Islamic State insurgents attacked a group of shepherds with gunfire. According to the

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (also known as SOHR; ), founded in May 2006, is a United Kingdom-based information office whose stated aim is to document human rights abuses in Syria; since 2011 it has focused on the Syrian Civil War. ...

, five shepherds were killed and two other shepherds were reportedly kidnapped. 250 sheep were also killed, and the remaining livestock were stolen.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hama attack, 2023 2023 murders in Syria Massacres in 2023 April 2023 in Syria April 2023 crimes in Asia Hama in the Syrian civil war Massacres of the Syrian civil war perpetrated by ISIL Truffles (fungi) Terrorist incidents in Syria in 2023 2023 mass shootings in Asia Mass shootings in Syria 2023 in the Syrian civil war Islamic terrorist incidents in 2023