ISTANBUL, July 8 (Alliance News): Turkiye confirmed on Monday that 12 of its soldiers died after being exposed to methane gas while conducting a search operation in caves in northern Iraq, raising the previous death toll from eight to 12.
The troops were involved in a mission to locate the remains of a soldier killed in 2022 during a military operation against Kurdish militants.
According to Turkiye’s Ministry of Defence, the soldiers were operating in a cave previously identified as a makeshift hospital used by Kurdish militants. “Four other of our heroic comrades in arms, affected by methane gas, have died… bringing the total number of victims to 12,” the ministry said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The original incident, which took place on Sunday, involved 19 soldiers being exposed to the gas during a sweep operation.
While no additional details have been provided about the condition of the remaining seven troops, the ministry confirmed that a farewell ceremony for the deceased was held at an airport in southeastern Turkiye.
The search was part of an ongoing effort to recover the body of a Turkish soldier killed in May 2022 during “Operation Claw Lock” — a major military campaign launched in April 2022 to target Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) fighters entrenched in Iraq’s mountainous border regions.
The methane gas incident comes at a sensitive time, coinciding with renewed dialogue efforts between the Turkish government and Kurdish representatives aimed at ending the decades-long conflict.
The PKK, which has been designated a terrorist organization by Turkiye, the U.S., and the EU, had reportedly agreed to halt its armed struggle, offering a potential path toward peace.
Since its inception in 1984, the PKK conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives, including those of Turkish soldiers, Kurdish fighters, and civilians.
Adding a poignant layer to the tragedy, the incident occurred on the same day a delegation from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Peoples’ Party (DEM) visited Imrali Island prison to meet with PKK founder Abdullah Öcalan.
In a rare public statement issued through the delegation, Öcalan extended condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers.
“This incident caused Mr. Öcalan and all of us deep sadness,” read the statement from the delegation. “We offer our sincere condolences to the families and relatives of the deceased.”
The Ministry of Defence has yet to clarify the exact source of the methane gas within the cave system or whether the exposure was due to natural accumulation or other factors.
Methane, a highly flammable gas, can be deadly in enclosed, oxygen-deprived environments such as caves, particularly if ignited or inhaled in high concentrations.
Analysts note that the tragedy could either hinder or intensify ongoing peace efforts. On one hand, the deaths may stoke public anger and fuel nationalist rhetoric. On the other, the rare condolences extended by the PKK’s leadership could signal a potential thaw in decades of entrenched hostility.
The incident has prompted calls for a full investigation, both to determine the circumstances of the gas exposure and to ensure the safety of troops deployed in similar operations.
As Turkiye continues its military campaigns along its southeastern borders, the risks for soldiers remain high, not only from hostile fire but also from the treacherous terrain and concealed hazards like methane build-up in underground networks used by militants.
The Defence Ministry has yet to announce whether operations in the area will be suspended or altered following the incident. Meanwhile, the nation mourns the loss of 12 servicemen, remembered as “heroes” by state officials and military commanders.
The tragedy underscores the complex and dangerous realities of Turkiye’s long-standing struggle against PKK insurgents, even as new diplomatic channels emerge in hopes of ending one of the region’s longest-running conflicts.
