HORRIFIC

ISIS Militants Massacre 26+ Truffle Pickers in Syria

The group was ambushed while looking for the valuable fungus in the Syrian desert, reports say.

Militants with the so-called Islamic State terror group murdered at least 26 people searching for truffles in the Syrian desert on Sunday, according to reports. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said 12 pro-government fighters were among those killed, and reported that as many as 31 people may have been killed in the attack in Hama province. Civilians in the war-torn country have been warned against searching for truffles owing to the large number of deadly attacks on foraging excursions. Since February, SOHR reports that over 230 people have been killed by ISIS attacks targeting truffle pickers, but people continue to forage because a little over two pounds of the fungus can sell for more than the average monthly wage ($18) in Syria.