Azerbaijani defence minister condoles with Türkiye over soldier deaths in cave incident

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defence, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, has offered his heartfelt condolences to Türkiye’s Minister of National Defence, Yaşar Güler, following the tragic deaths of five Turkish servicemen.

“The news of the death of five Turkish servicemen, who were exposed to methane gas in a cave during a search and rescue operation for the body of a Turkish officer killed on May 28, 2022, during the ‘Claw-Lock’ operation following terrorist shelling, has deeply saddened me,” Hasanov said, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Reaffirming Azerbaijan’s unwavering support, Hasanov emphasised the solidarity between the two nations: “Your sorrow is our sorrow. We stand firmly with the brotherly Turkish Army in its resolute fight against terrorism and support you with all our strength.”

“We pray for the souls of the fallen heroic Turkish soldiers, share the grief of their families, and express our deepest condolences to their loved ones. We also pray for the speedy recovery of those servicemen currently undergoing treatment,” the minister added.

The Turkish Defence Ministry confirmed on July 7 that a total of 19 soldiers were exposed to methane gas inside the cave. Although all affected personnel were swiftly transferred to hospital for treatment, five of them succumbed despite medical efforts.

The cave, once used by the PKK as a hospital and later cleared by Turkish forces, was being searched in an effort to locate the remains of a first lieutenant killed in May 2022 during a terrorist attack. The ministry did not specify when the gas exposure occurred.

Türkiye launched Operation Claw-Lock in 2022, targeting PKK hideouts in the Metina, Zap, and Avasin-Basyan regions of northern Iraq near the Turkish border. The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union, has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state for more than 40 years.

By Khagan Isayev