Reports from local authorities and independent observers reveal that a landmine explosion in Syria's Deir Ez-Zor province killed nine truffle hunters on Sunday.

The incident has been attributed to the Islamic State (IS) group by Syria's state-run SANA news agency. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident as at least 137 civilians, including 30 children, have been killed by landmines in Syria this year.

Truffle hunting is a seasonal activity in Syria, and it can be quite lucrative, which makes foragers vulnerable to IS militants and landmines. On Saturday, six other people were killed while foraging for truffles after hitting an anti-tank mine left by IS in the desert outside Homs.

The Observatory warns that truffle hunters are particularly susceptible to such dangers as they work in large groups in remote areas, making them an easy target for IS militants.

In recent months, there have been reports of IS sleeper cells abducting, ransoming, and even killing truffle hunters in Syria.

In February, an attack by IS sleeper cells on workers collecting truffles near Sukhna killed 53 people, including workers and Syrian government security forces.