Five Turkish soldiers killed by methane gas during northern Iraq cave search
Soldiers were searching a mountain cave when 19 of them were exposed to the gas, which is colorless, odorless, flammable and can cause asphyxiation in sufficient concentration.
'They were immediately transported to the hospital (but) despite all interventions, five heroic personnel were martyred,' the ministry said in a statement. 'Rescue operations in the area continue.'
The ministry did not give a specific location for the incident other than the 'Claw-Lock Operation region,' a reference to an operation launched against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in north Iraq in April 2022.
The Turkish unit affected by methane gas was searching for the remains of an infantry officer killed by 'terrorist gunfire' during a search-and-clear operation in May 2022, the ministry said. For the last three years, teams have been hunting for his remains.
The cave was at an altitude of 852 meters (2,795 foot) and was known to have been used as a hospital by the PKK in the past, although it had since been cleared by Turkish soldiers.
The office of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the soldiers were 'exposed to a high concentration of accumulated methane gas.'
Turkey and the PKK have waged a 40-year conflict which has often spilled over into Iraq and Syria. Turkey has set up a series of bases in northern Iraq, where the PKK has been established for decades.
The PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey and most of the West, announced in May that it would disband and renounce armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Turkey.
Its fighters are expected to begin handing over their weapons over the next few days in the first concrete move toward disarmament.
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Euronews
07-07-2025
- Euronews
Methane gas kills 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq cave operation
Twelve Turkish soldiers have died after being exposed to methane gas during a cave search operation in northern Iraq, the country's Defence Ministry confirmed on Monday. Nineteen troops were exposed to the colourless and odourless gas, with five dying on Sunday and a further seven succumbing to its effects the following day. The condition of the remaining seven soldiers is not known. The troops were on a mission to recover the remains of a comrade killed three years ago by Kurdish militants. Turkish authorities described the deaths as a "tragic event", with the country's Defence Minister Yasar Güler and senior military officials travelling to northern Iraq to conduct assessments and attend a formal repatriation ceremony. Speaking at the event, Güler praised the victims for their 'great courage and sacrifice". 'Our grief is immense and our feelings are beyond words," he said. The deaths occurred in the mountainous region where the Turkish army began an offensive in April 2022 against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara and its Western allies deem a terrorist organisation. The PKK has been engaged in a four-decade conflict with the Turkish state. The group announced in May that it would disarm as part of a proposed peace initiative, with fighters expected to begin surrendering their weapons in the coming days, marking the first tangible step towards disarmament. The cave, located at an altitude of 852 metres, had reportedly been used by the PKK as a field hospital.
France 24
06-07-2025
- France 24
Five Turkish soldiers killed by methane gas during northern Iraq cave search
Five Turkish soldiers have died after exposure to methane gas on Sunday while searching a cave in northern Iraq for the remains of a fellow soldier killed by Kurdish militants in 2022, the Turkish Defence Ministry said. Soldiers were searching a mountain cave when 19 of them were exposed to the gas, which is colorless, odorless, flammable and can cause asphyxiation in sufficient concentration. 'They were immediately transported to the hospital (but) despite all interventions, five heroic personnel were martyred,' the ministry said in a statement. 'Rescue operations in the area continue.' The ministry did not give a specific location for the incident other than the 'Claw-Lock Operation region,' a reference to an operation launched against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in north Iraq in April 2022. The Turkish unit affected by methane gas was searching for the remains of an infantry officer killed by 'terrorist gunfire' during a search-and-clear operation in May 2022, the ministry said. For the last three years, teams have been hunting for his remains. The cave was at an altitude of 852 meters (2,795 foot) and was known to have been used as a hospital by the PKK in the past, although it had since been cleared by Turkish soldiers. The office of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the soldiers were 'exposed to a high concentration of accumulated methane gas.' Turkey and the PKK have waged a 40-year conflict which has often spilled over into Iraq and Syria. Turkey has set up a series of bases in northern Iraq, where the PKK has been established for decades. The PKK, which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey and most of the West, announced in May that it would disband and renounce armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Turkey. Its fighters are expected to begin handing over their weapons over the next few days in the first concrete move toward disarmament.
France 24
05-06-2025
- France 24
As birthrates fall, Turkey's government steps in
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