Eight Turkish Soldiers Die from Gas During Iraq Cave Operation

Eight Turkish troops were killed after coming into contact with methane gas during a search mission in a cave in northern Iraq, a defence ministry statement on Monday said. The ministry described how the accident occurred on Sunday while troops were conducting a mission to retrieve the body of a Turkish soldier who had been assassinated during a previous military campaign against the banned Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). The ministry further indicated that 'eleven other soldiers who are also exposed to the gas in the cave have been taken to the hospital for treatment'. (This is a developing story)