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At least 12 Turkish soldiers have died due to methane gas poisoning while conducting a search operation in a cave in northern Iraq, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said.
The soldiers were reportedly exposed to methane gas while searching for the remains of a comrade killed by Kurdish fighters three years ago. Initially, the ministry had announced eight fatalities, but the toll was later revised. “Four others 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 statement posted on X.
The incident took place in the Claw-Lock Operation zone — an area where Turkey has conducted ongoing military operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) since April 2022. The PKK, designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, has long used the mountainous regions of northern Iraq as a base.
According to the Defense Ministry, the affected soldiers were inside a cave previously known to have been used by PKK militants as a field hospital. “During a search operation in a cave ... previously known to have been used as a hospital... 19 of our personnel were exposed to methane gas,” the ministry said.
Several soldiers exposed to the toxic gas were taken to medical facilities for treatment. Methane, a colorless and odorless gas, can cause death through asphyxiation in high concentrations, particularly in enclosed spaces like caves.
The operation was part of a long-running recovery mission aimed at locating the body of a Turkish soldier killed in the same region by “terrorist gunfire,” the ministry said. Efforts have been ongoing in the area for the past three years.
Turkish authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of the deceased soldiers. The incident has prompted questions about safety measures during high-risk missions in hostile environments such as caves believed to have been previously occupied by militants.
No further details were immediately available, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.
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