Twelve Turkish soldiers died from methane gas exposure during a cave search operation in northern Iraq. Nineteen troops were affected, with five dying on Sunday and seven the next day. The soldiers were on a mission to recover a comrade's remains. Defence Minister Yasar Güler called the incident a 'tragic event' and praised the victims' courage. The deaths occurred in a region where Turkey has been combating the PKK, which recently announced plans to disarm as part of a peace initiative.