Eight Turkish soldiers die from methane exposure during Iraq cave search

Ankara: Three more Turkish soldiers have died from methane gas poisoning during a cave search operation in northern Iraq, bringing the death toll to eight, Türkiye’s Defence Ministry said on Monday.

The soldiers were part of a unit searching for the remains of an infantry officer killed by Kurdish militants in 2022. Nineteen troops were exposed to methane—a colourless, odourless, and flammable gas that can cause asphyxiation in high concentrations—while scouring a mountain cave. Five died on Sunday, and three more succumbed on Monday.

The incident occurred in the “Claw-Lock Operation region”, where Türkiye has been conducting military operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) since April 2022. The PKK, designated a terrorist organisation by Türkiye and much of the West, has long operated from northern Iraq.

The cave, located at an altitude of 852 metres, had previously served as a PKK field hospital. Recovery teams had been combing the area for three years in search of the fallen soldier’s remains.

“We pray for God’s mercy upon our heroic martyrs who lost their lives in this tragic event,” the ministry said, adding that efforts are ongoing to treat other affected personnel.

The tragedy comes as the PKK begins a disarmament process following its May announcement to 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.

(inputs from PTI)