In recent years, many attacks against civilians while truffle hunting in central, north-eastern, and eastern areas of Syria had been noted. The Islamic State's remnants in the country have been known to use desert hideouts to ambush Kurdish-led forces and Syrian government troops, as well as to continue to launch attacks in neighboring Iraq, since losing much of their territory following a military campaign supported by a US-led coalition in March 2019.[2] A similar attack on foragers in the same region on 11 February 2023 resulted in the deaths of 16 individuals, mostly civilians, with dozens reportedly kidnapped, and 25 later released.[6]