Türkiye bids farewell to fallen soldiers as thousands gather at funerals

ISTANBUL

Türkiye bid farewell to its fallen soldiers on July 8 as funeral ceremonies and prayers took place to honor the 12 soldiers who died of methane gas exposure during a cave research operation in northern Iraq.

Thousands gathered for 10 of the 12 soldiers on July 8 at the funerals held at their hometowns, including Istanbul, the central province of Kayseri, the eastern city of Malatya and the northwestern province of Balıkesir.

The funerals for the remaining two soldiers were slated to take place later that same day.

Families informed of the tragic news displayed the Turkish flag outside their homes, while large groups of mourners attended the funerals carrying flag-covered coffins.

The incident occurred on July 6 as the Turkish troops were searching for the remains of a soldier who was killed by PKK in May 2022 in the area of Operation Claw Lock — a cross-border operation launched to target the terrorist organization’s hideouts in northern Iraq.

However, the body of the soldier was never recovered. During a search and rescue operation for the fallen soldier in the region, troops began inspecting a cave.

A total of 19 soldiers were exposed to methane gas inside, the ministry said, adding that 12 of them lost their lives.

PKK is designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union.

Among the fallen was First Lieutenant Ege Akar, aged 26, a scion of a military family. He led the unit tasked with recovering the body of First Lieutenant Nuri Melih Bozkurt, presumed dead since 2022.

Private Özkan Özkanlı, 25, an orphan, revealed through correspondence with his high school teacher that he had been quietly donating money for two years to support orphaned students, demonstrating his compassion and generosity even amidst his own hardships.

Private Celalettin Uyanık, 24, who enlisted four years ago, left behind a heartfelt video in which he recited verses from the Quran before a mission, asking his comrades to share it on social media should he “fall as a martyr.”