Twelve Turkish soldiers have died after being exposed to methane gas while conducting a search operation inside a cave in northern Iraq, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence confirmed on Monday.
According to the ministry, the soldiers were part of a “search and clear” mission on Sunday when at least 19 personnel inhaled the gas. All affected soldiers were rushed to hospital, but by Monday, 12 had died due to the effects of the exposure.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed deep sorrow over the loss, offering condolences to the bereaved families and the Turkish Armed Forces. “I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families of our heroic soldiers and to our entire nation,” he said.
The troops were reportedly searching for the remains of a fellow soldier killed during Operation Claw-Lock in May 2022. The long-running campaign targets fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq through airstrikes and ground assaults, including cave operations where PKK militants often take shelter.
Although methane is not directly toxic, it can be deadly in confined spaces by displacing oxygen and causing suffocation — a significant hazard in enclosed environments such as caves.
The PKK, designated as a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state for over four decades. Originally founded in the 1980s to create an independent Kurdish state, the group later shifted its aim to greater Kurdish autonomy and rights within Turkey.
The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives, leaving a legacy of destruction across southeastern Turkey and surrounding regions.
In recent months, however, there have been signs of a potential resolution. The PKK declared a ceasefire in March, and in May announced plans to disband, stating it had “completed its historical mission” and would end its armed struggle.
