by & nbspoman al yahyai & nbspwith & nbspAP
It’s published
Twelve Turkish soldiers have been killed after being exposed to methane gas during cave search operations in northern Iraq, the Ministry of Defense confirmed Monday.
A troop of 19 men was exposed to colorless, odorless gas, killing five people on Sunday, and seven more succumbed to the effect the following day.
The status of the remaining seven soldiers is unknown.
The military was on a mission to restore the bodies of comrades who were killed by Kurdish extremists three years ago.
Turkish authorities described the death as a “tragic event,” with Defense Minister Yasar Güller and senior officials traveling to northern Iraq, conducting assessments and attending a formal repatriation ceremony.
Speaking at the event, Güller praised the victims with “great courage and sacrifice.”
“Our sadness is immeasurable and our feelings are beyond words,” he said.
The death occurred in a mountainous region in which the Turkish forces launched an attack on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in April 2022.
The PKK is engaged in a four-year conflict with the Turkish state.
The group announced in May that it would disarm as part of the proposed peace initiative. The fighter is expected to begin surrendering their weapons in the coming days, marking the first concrete steps towards disarmament.
The cave, located at an altitude of 852 meters, was reportedly used as an outdoor hospital by the PKK.
