26 people killed in Islamic State attack in Syria
The jihadist group killed 26 people while they were picking desert truffles in Hama
Islamic State terrorists have killed 26 people picking truffles in Syria's Hama region, 115 miles (186 kilometers) north of the capital Damascus - international monitors and state media reported.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "civilians and at least 10 pro-regime fighters" were among "the 26 people killed in an attack by Islamic State fighters while they were collecting truffles in the desert east of (the central city of) Hama."
Amid the economic devastation caused by Syria's years-long war, and a devastating earthquake, hunting for truffles can help people earn money, as they fetch a high price.
The state-run SANA news agency claims the attack was carried out by members of the Islamic State group.
Top regional envoys are calling for an end to the crisis in Syria, after a meeting of foreign ministers from Iraq, Jordan, Egypt and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states. They agreed on a “vital and leading Arab role” after years of failed efforts to solve the conflict.
In addition, they discussed Syria's return to normalized ties with fellow Arab countries, which were severed in response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's brutal crackdown on peaceful protests in 2011, and included a suspension from the Arab League.
After hosting Syria's Foreign Minister last week, Saudi Arabia will reportedly host Syrian President Bashar al-Assad next month. Assad’s attendance would mark the most significant development in his rehabilitation within the Arab world in over a decade