12 Turkish soldiers from methane gas dies in the Iraqi cave while searching for the remains of the companion who was killed by the militants

Seven Turkish soldiers died from Methane The Ministry of Defense in Türkiye said on Monday, poisoning after the cave inspection in northern Iraq, as it reached 12.

The forces were looking for a mountain cave when 19 of them were subjected to gas, according to the ministry. Five soldiers died on Sunday of colorless gas, without smell, flammable can cause suffocation sufficiently, and another seven hidden on Monday.

The ministry said on Monday: “We pray for the mercy of God for our heroic martyrs who lost their lives in this tragic event.”

She said that the Minister of Defense Yassar Galler and the leaders of the armed forces were traveling to the area to carry out “inspections and evaluation operations” and attend the funeral ceremony.

The ministry said that the accident occurred in the “Al -Makhlab operation zone” – in reference to an operation that was launched against the Kurdistan Labor Party, or the Kurdistan Workers Party, in northern Iraq in April 2022.

the The ministry published a video on social media Six of the dead soldiers who are transported to their hometown.

National Defense Minister Yassar Goller attended the ceremony at Yoxicova Airport, Ebibi, where he attended with the level of TAF leadership, and the bodies of our six heroic friends who were martyred in the Pençe-Kileit operation area were stopped to their screws to bury them. … pic.twitter.com/RGXYCRDHP7

– The Ministry of National Defense TC (Tcsavunma) July 7, 2025

“The bodies of our heroic comrades, who were martyred in the clutch lock area, were sent to their hometown for burial.” The ministry wrote about x.

There was no immediate information about the case of the other seven soldiers who were affected by gas.

The origin of methane gas was not explained in the caves.

Türkiye and PKK launched a 40 -year conflict I was spilled to Iraq and Syria. Türkiye has established a series of bases in northern Iraq, where the PKK was created for decades.

The PKK, which is considered a terrorist organization by Türkiye and most of the West, announced in May that it will resolve and give up armed conflict as part of a new peace initiative with Türkiye.

Its fighters are expected to start delivering their weapons in the next few days in the first concrete step towards disarmament.

According to the ministry, the Turkish unit overlooking methane was looking for the remains of an infantry officer killed by “terrorist shooting” during a clear search mission in May 2022. Recovery teams were roaming the area during the past three years.

The cave in which the accident occurred sits at an altitude of 2795 feet and was previously used by the PKK as a field hospital.

The news of the death of the soldiers as a pro -men’s Dem delegate, who was visiting the founder of the PKK imprisoned Abdullah Oaklan as part of the ongoing negotiations with the Turkish government.

Agence France-Press contributed to this report.