More than 20 civilians were killed Sunday in central Syria when a landmine left behind by jihadists exploded under a van, the state news agency SANA said. The ordnance left behind by the Islamic State group in the town of Salamiyeh killed farmworkers who were heading to a region in the Hama province to pick truffles, SANA said, citing local police.
It was the second such incident since February 8 when a landmine that had been planted by IS in rural Hama exploded killing seven civilians, SANA said. IS had a presence in Hama's countryside before the Syrian army drove the jihadists from the area in 2017. Before withdrawing they had planted mines in the area and rigged buildings with explosives, a tactic they have used in other areas as well.