&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "12 Turkish soldiers die of methane poisoning in Iraq cave while looking for fallen soldier’s body")
The defence ministry of Turkey said on Monday that a dozen Turkish soldiers died of methane gas poisoning while searching a cave in northern Iraq for remains of a fellow soldier killed by Kurdish militants three years ago. The defence ministry gave an initial death toll of eight but later raised it to 12. “Four others of our heroic comrades in arms, affected by methane gas, have died ... bringing the total number of victims to 12,” the ministry said on X. Methane is a colourless, odourless, flammable gas that can cause asphyxiation in high concentration.
“During a search operation in a cave ... previously known to have been used as a hospital... 19 of our personnel were exposed to methane gas,” the ministry said.
The ministry said the incident took place in the “Claw-Lock Operation region”—a reference to an operation launched against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq in April 2022 to clear militants holed up in caves along the border.
It said the soldier whose body was being searched had been killed by “terrorist gunfire”.
Recovery teams have been searching the area for the past three years.
40-year-conflict with PKK
Turkey and the PKK have waged a 40-year conflict that has often spilled over into Iraq and Syria, with an estimated 40,000 people losing their lives.
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The cave is located at an altitude of 852 metres (2,795 feet) and was previously used as a field hospital by the PKK.
Turkey is currently in talks with the PKK on ending the conflict after the group agreed to halt its armed struggle.
The soldiers had been searching for the remains of a fellow soldier previously killed by Kurdish militants.
“We pray for God's mercy upon our heroic martyrs who lost their lives in this tragic event,” the ministry said Monday, also expressing hope for a rapid recovery for other troops that were affected.
