(MENAFN) Five Turkish soldiers have died after inhaling methane gas during a military cave operation in northern Iraq, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced on Sunday.

According to a statement from the ministry, the incident unfolded amid a continuing search and clearance effort in the Claw-Lock operation zone—an area in northern Iraq where Turkish forces are engaged in missions targeting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The ministry did not disclose the exact timing of the event.

The soldiers had entered a cave that was formerly used by the PKK as a medical facility and later secured by Turkish troops. The search aimed to recover the remains of a first lieutenant who had been killed in 2022, the ministry noted.

A total of 19 personnel were affected by methane gas exposure while inside the cave. All were rushed to medical facilities for urgent treatment. Despite doctors’ efforts, five soldiers succumbed to the gas poisoning, the ministry said.

Operation Claw-Lock was launched by Türkiye in 2022 to dismantle PKK strongholds in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan areas near the Turkish border.

The PKK, which has waged an insurgency against Ankara for over 40 years, is designated as a terrorist group by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union.

In May, the PKK declared its intention to dissolve and halt its armed campaign.

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