Beirut (AFP):At least 53 people were killed Friday in an ambush in central Syria blamed on the Islamic State group, state media reported, the deadiest attack in more than a year.
“Fifty-three citizens who were truffle hunting were killed during an attack by the terrorists of IS to the southwest of the town of Al-Sokhna” in the desert east of Homs, state television said.
The director of Palmyra hospital, Walid Audi, said those killed were 46 civilians and seven soldiers.
Audi told pro-government radio station Sham FM that their bodies had “been brought to the hospital after the ambush” that targeted dozens.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the attack, which it said was carried out by IS on motorcycles who opened fire on the truffle hunters.