Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
Ankara, Jul 7: In a tragic development, 12 Turkish soldiers lost their lives after being exposed to methane gas during a search operation in northern Iraq, the Turkish Ministry of Defence confirmed on Monday. The mission was part of Operation Claw-Lock, aimed at locating the remains of a fallen comrade in a cave once used by members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
The incident occurred on July 6 at a site identified as 852 Altitude Hill, where Turkish troops were carrying out a search and screening operation in a cave known to have served as a medical facility for PKK militants. The Defence Ministry revealed that four additional soldiers succumbed to the gas on Monday, bringing the total death toll to twelve.
A total of 19 soldiers affected by the gas were rushed to the hospital, and emergency medical aid was provided, the ministry noted. Despite the cave having been cleared earlier, toxic methane buildup appears to have been overlooked, leading to the fatal exposure.
In response, Defence Minister Yasar Guler visited the site along with senior Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) leadership to assess the situation and attend the farewell ceremonies for the fallen soldiers.
The mission had originally been launched to retrieve the body of a Turkish soldier killed during earlier operations against the PKK. Turkey has long conducted cross-border raids into northern Iraq, targeting what it describes as terrorist hideouts and logistical hubs operated by the PKK.
The deadly incident comes amid a significant shift in the Kurdish insurgency. In May, the PKK announced its formal decision to disband and disarm, ending a four-decade-long armed struggle against the Turkish state. The decision followed a public call by PKK founder Abdullah Ocalan in February, who has been imprisoned since 1999 on an island near Istanbul.
In a statement issued through the pro-Kurdish ANF news agency, the PKK confirmed that its 12th Party Congress, held in early May, voted to dissolve the organisation’s armed structure and transition toward a new, nonviolent phase. Despite ongoing Turkish military pressure, the group claimed the congress was held securely under challenging conditions with 232 delegates participating across two secret locations.
The PKK is designated a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States, and the European Union, and has been responsible for a decades-long insurgency marked by thousands of deaths on both sides.
While the group has announced a shift in strategy, military tensions remain high, as illustrated by the fatal cave incident. Turkish forces continue to maintain a strong presence in the border regions of Iraq, and operations against PKK remnants persist amid the complex and volatile security dynamics of the region.