Latest news with #Turkishsoldiers
LBCI
07-07-2025
- LBCI
Twelve Turkish soldiers killed by gas exposure during cave search in Iraq
Twelve Turkish soldiers died after being exposed to methane gas during a search operation in a cave in northern Iraq, the defense ministry said on Monday. In a statement, the ministry said the incident took place on Sunday during a mission to locate the remains of a Turkish soldier killed during a military operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Other soldiers also exposed to the gas in the cave have been taken to the hospital for treatment, the ministry said. Reuters
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-07-2025
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
7 more Turkish Soldiers Die from Methane Gas in Iraqi Cave, Raising Deaths to 12
Seven more Turkish soldiers have died from methane gas poisoning following a cave search operation in northern Iraq, Türkiye's Defense Ministry said Monday, bringing the death toll to 12. The soldiers had been searching for the remains of a fellow soldier previously killed by Kurdish militants. The troops were searching a mountain cave when 19 of them were exposed to the gas, according to the ministry. Five of the soldiers died Sunday from the colorless, odorless, flammable gas that can cause asphyxiation in sufficient concentration, and seven more succumbed on Monday, Reuters reported. '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. It said Defense Minister Yasar Guler and armed forces' commanders were traveling to the region to carry out 'inspections and evaluations' and attend a ceremony as the soldiers were flown to their hometowns for burial. Speaking at the ceremony, Guler commended the troops' 'great courage and sacrifice,' adding: 'Our grief is immense and our feelings are beyond words.' 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. There was no immediate information on the condition of the seven other soldiers who were affected by the gas. Türkiye and the PKK have waged a 40-year conflict that has often spilled over into Iraq and Syria. Türkiye 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 organization by Türkiye and most of the West, announced in May that it would disband and renounce armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Türkiye. Its fighters are expected to begin handing over their weapons over the next few days in the first concrete move toward disarmament. According to the ministry, the Turkish unit overcome by methane gas had been searching for the remains of an infantry officer killed by 'terrorist gunfire' during a search-and-clear mission in May 2022. Recovery teams have been scouring the area for the past three years. The cave where the incident occurred sits at an altitude of 852 meters (2,795 feet) and had previously been used by the PKK as a field hospital.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
At least 12 soldiers are gassed to death in a cave after being exposed to deadly methane during hunt for fallen comrade
Twelve Turkish soldiers have died after being exposed to methane gas while searching caves in northern Iraq on Sunday. The troops had been deployed to locate the remains of a comrade who was killed in a clash with Kurdish militants more than three years ago. The Turkish Ministry of Defence said 19 soldiers were affected by the gas leak during the operation. In an update posted on X, before the latest tally, the ministry said: 'Three other of our heroic comrades in arms have lost their lives, bringing the total number of martyrs to eight.' The soldiers had entered the cave complex during a search mission for the body of a Turkish soldier shot dead by fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in May 2022. Officials said the cave was previously used as a makeshift hospital by PKK militants, who have long operated in the remote terrain along the Turkey-Iraq border. So far, the source of the methane gas is still unclear. The operation is part of Turkey's wider military campaign against the PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Ankara, the United States and the European Union. The troops were on the hunt for the body of their comrade, who had been shot dead in May 2002 The campaign, known as Operation Claw-Lock, was launched in April 2022 and aims to root out Kurdish fighters based in caves. The incident comes at a politically sensitive time for Turkey, with discussions reportedly under way to revive peace talks with Kurdish representatives. The conflict with the PKK has raged since 1984 and has claimed more than 40,000 lives, including civilians, militants and Turkish security forces. On the same day news of the gas deaths emerged, members of Turkey's pro-Kurdish DEM Party attempted to make contact with jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan. Ocalan, who helped found the militant group in the late 1970s, has been imprisoned since 1999 and held in near-total isolation for years.
Associated Press
07-07-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
3 more Turkish soldiers die from methane gas in Iraqi cave, raising deaths to 8
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Three more Turkish soldiers have died from methane gas poisoning following a cave search operation in northern Iraq, Turkey's Defense Ministry said Monday, bringing the death toll to eight. The soldiers had been searching for the remains of a fellow soldier previously killed by Kurdish militants. The troops were searching a mountain cave when 19 of them were exposed to the gas, according to the ministry. Five of the soldiers died Sunday from the colorless, odorless, flammable gas that can cause asphyxiation in sufficient concentration, and three more succumbed on Monday. '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. 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. Turkey and the PKK have waged a 40-year conflict that 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 organization 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. According to the ministry, the Turkish unit overcome by methane gas had been searching for the remains of an infantry officer killed by 'terrorist gunfire' during a search-and-clear mission in May 2022. Recovery teams have been scouring the area for the past three years. The cave where the incident occurred sits at an altitude of 852 meters (2,795 feet) and had previously been used by the PKK as a field hospital.
Arab News
07-07-2025
- Health
- Arab News
Eight Turkish soldiers killed by gas exposure during cave search in northern Iraq
ISTANBUL: Eight Turkish soldiers died after being exposed to methane gas during a search operation in a cave in northern Iraq, the defence ministry said on Monday. In a statement, the ministry said the incident took place on Sunday during a mission to locate the remains of a Turkish soldier killed during a military operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Eleven other soldiers who are also exposed to the gas in the cave have been taken to the hospital for treatment, the ministry said.
