Methane Gas Kills Eight Turkish Soldiers in Iraq

Eight Turkish soldiers died from methane gas exposure while searching for a comrade's remains in a cave in northern Iraq, raising the incident's death toll to eight. The soldiers were conducting an operation under Türkiye's Claw-Lock campaign targeting the PKK militant group, in a cave previously used by the PKK as a hospital. In total, 19 soldiers were exposed to the gas, with eleven surviving and hospitalized. The tragedy occurred amid sensitive talks between Turkish and Kurdish representatives, following the PKK's agreement to end its armed struggle—a conflict responsible for over 40,000 deaths since 1984. Turkish officials have cautioned the public to rely on official information due to concerns about misinformation. Preliminary assessments suggest the methane built up naturally in the cave, though the precise source has not been confirmed.