Turkish authorities are facing mounting public and political pressure to explain how 12 soldiers died from gas exposure in a cave during an operation in northern Iraq, with opposition lawmakers accusing the military of negligence and calling for a full investigation.
The soldiers were killed during a search inside a cave in the Metina region between July 1 and 5 where they were reportedly exposed to a combination of methane and carbon monoxide gases. The soldiers were searching for the remains of infantry Lt. Nuri Melih Bozkurt, who was killed in 2022 in the region during the Claw-Lock operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The defense ministry identified the deceased as Lt. Ege Akar, Sgt. Abdurrahman Akdoğan, contract soldiers Özkan Özkanlı, Mahsun Yeşildemir, Ahmet Kuşak, Celattin Uyanık and Ahmet Gültekin as well as Specialist Sgts. Ümit Üzüm, Fikret Mangura, Enver Yaman and Kani Obi and Lt. Furkan Sert.
Defense Minister Yaşar Güler attended a military funeral ceremony at Yüksekova Selahaddin Eyyübi Airport near the Iraqi border for six of the fallen soldiers and said the incident would be “investigated in the finest detail” through an administrative inquiry.
But opposition figures say the tragedy could have been avoided and that no adequate safety measures were taken before the 19-member unit entered the cave.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Chairman Özgür Özel said it was unacceptable that the soldiers were sent into a confined cave without first measuring gas levels or deploying unmanned systems.
“The fact that so many of our soldiers entered the cave at the same time without any prior measurements or expert-led precautions shows gross negligence,” Özel said. “Even if 12 chicks were lost under the care of the state, there would be accountability. These were trained soldiers. I cannot comprehend or accept this level of irresponsibility.”
Özel said CHP lawmakers would seek a parliamentary inquiry after the funerals.
Parliamentary questions filed over gas risks
CHP lawmaker Nail Çiler submitted parliamentary questions to Defense Minister Güler on whether any risk assessments were conducted, whether gas detectors were used and if personal protective equipment had been issued.
“If our young soldiers were lost before our very eyes, the government must be held accountable,” Çiler said. “It is our duty to uncover whether there was a chain of negligence and to prevent such tragedies in the future.”
In his inquiry Çiler asked whether there had been reports of methane in the region, whether environmental scans were conducted and why unmanned equipment or protective protocols were not deployed prior to the operation.
‘Why wasn’t unmanned equipment used?’
CHP deputy group chairman Ali Mahir Başarır questioned why unmanned ground vehicles or drones were not deployed before soldiers entered the cave, which had long been used by the PKK as a hospital.
“Why were people sent into a methane-prone environment without protection? Why wasn’t unmanned equipment used first?” Başarır asked on Sözcü TV. “Did the teams have oxygen masks? Were gas detectors used at all? We are a world leader in UAVs, so why have we not developed unmanned ground vehicles for these dangerous operations?”
The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) issued a statement offering condolences and calling on the Defense Ministry to publicly share the results of its investigation.
“The death of these soldiers has once again shown the critical need for adequate safety and health measures,” the TTB said. “We demand that results of the inquiry be made public to determine whether there was any negligence. The right to life is the foundation of peace.”
Former AKP official: Gas detectors cost only 1,000 lira
Former Environment Ministry undersecretary and former AKP MP Mustafa Öztürk explained that methane gas reduces oxygen levels in enclosed environments, causing unconsciousness without warning. “The victim doesn’t feel anything,” he said. “That is why detectors must be used.”
Öztürk noted that methane detectors cost around 1,000 Turkish lira (about $30). Independent MP Ümit Dikbayır also noted the low cost, stating, “That’s all I have to say, with this anger.”
On social media, many users harshly criticized the military for not using equipment that could have been acquired cheaply.
Retired general: 19 affected is not normal
Retired Brig. Gen. Haldun Solmaztürk called the event “not normal” and questioned the ministry’s transparency.
“It’s unheard of that 19 soldiers enter a cave and all are affected,” he said in a TV interview. “Was proper planning done? Were detectors used? If not, this is a failure of command. The ministry is not sharing the full truth.”
Solmaztürk called on the head of parliament’s defense committee, former defense minister Hulusi Akar, to initiate a full inquiry.
The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies, recently announced plans to disarm. However, Turkish operations in northern Iraq continue.
No allegations have been made that the gas was caused by an attack. The Defense Ministry has described the gas presence as a natural occurrence in a cave previously used by the PKK.