Twelve Turkish soldiers were martyred after being exposed to methane gas during a search operation in northern Iraq, the Turkish National Defence Ministry announced on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday during a search-and-clear mission inside a cave at an altitude of 852 meters in the Operation Claw-Lock zone, where members of the PKK terror group had taken shelter.

The operation was part of an effort to recover the remains of a soldier martyred by PKK terrorists in 2022. During the mission, 19 personnel were affected by the gas, and four of them succumbed, raising the total number of fatalities to 12.

Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler traveled to the region alongside senior military commanders to inspect the scene and attend the farewell ceremonies for the fallen troops.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of our martyrs, the Turkish Armed Forces, and our noble nation,” the ministry said in its statement, also wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.

The PKK, designated as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the US, and the EU, has waged a bloody insurgency against the Turkish state for over four decades. 

In response to persistent threats, Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in 2022, targeting PKK hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq.

The group frequently uses northern Iraq as a base to plan and launch cross-border attacks against Türkiye.

Turkish authorities have repeatedly underlined that Ankara's actions are in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which gives the right to use self-defensive measures in case of armed attacks. In addition, bilateral agreements between Türkiye and Iraq allow the former to conduct anti-terror operations on the latter's territories.