In a devastating incident, twelve Turkish soldiers lost their lives after being exposed to methane gas in a cave during a military operation in northern Iraq. The Turkish Ministry of National Defence stated that at least 19 personnel were affected by the gas during the search and clearance operation carried out on Sunday, leading to immediate hospitalization. By the following day, the ministry confirmed twelve fatalities.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his deep sorrow over the tragedy, offering condolences to the grieving families and the Turkish Armed Forces. Methane gas, while not chemically toxic, can pose a suffocation hazard in confined spaces, although it remains unclear why the cave contained high levels of the gas that proved fatal.
On Monday, a farewell ceremony took place at an airport in Hakkari, a southern Turkish province, honoring the fallen soldiers. The event was attended by the defense minister and other high-ranking military officials. The soldiers were on a mission to find the remains of a comrade who had been killed in gunfire in May 2022 during Operation Claw Lock—a major offensive targeting militants from the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) in Iraq that involved both airstrikes and ground operations.
The PKK, categorized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU, the UK, and the US, has engaged in a lengthy insurgency since the 1980s, initially aiming for Kurdish independence before shifting focus toward seeking greater autonomy and rights for the Kurdish population. Over the years, the conflict has resulted in over 40,000 deaths.
In March, the PKK announced a ceasefire and indicated its intention to disband, asserting that it had fulfilled its historical mission and would no longer pursue armed conflict. Following this announcement, the group revealed plans in May for a faction of fighters to disarm in Iraqi Kurdistan, marking a potential shift toward peace in the region.
