Eight Turkish soldiers were killed in northern Iraq after being exposed to a concentrated build-up of methane gas inside a cave, the Turkish Defense Ministry reported Monday. The soldiers had entered the area as part of an ongoing search for the remains of a Turkish infantry officer killed in a clash with members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The incident occurred on Sunday, when 19 soldiers were exposed to the gas while conducting a search operation inside the cave. Eleven of them were evacuated for medical treatment, while eight died from the exposure. Methane is a colorless, odorless natural gas that can cause asphyxiation in high concentrations.
According to Turkish media reports, security forces have been searching the area for nearly three years for the remains of the officer, who was killed in a firefight with PKK fighters in May 2022. The cave, located 852 meters (2,795 feet) above sea level, had previously been used by the PKK.
A statement from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's office said the soldiers were exposed to "a high concentration of methane gas that had accumulated in the area." The president expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, extended condolences to the families of the victims and the Turkish Armed Forces, and wished a swift recovery to the injured.
Turkey has been engaged in a decades-long conflict with the PKK, which it considers a terrorist organization. The fighting has spread over time into northern Iraq and northern Syria. In May this year, the PKK announced it was laying down arms and disbanding, following a February call by its imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan to end the armed struggle. The organization said it had "fulfilled its historic mission."
