Islamabad – July 2025
Pakistan has extended heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Turkiye following the tragic deaths of 12 Turkish soldiers due to methane exposure in northern Iraq, the Foreign Office said in a statement issued Tuesday.
The soldiers, according to the Turkish Ministry of Defence, lost their lives while conducting a search operation in the Claw-Lock Operation zone—an area in Iraq where Turkish forces have been engaged in ongoing anti-terror missions. The troops were reportedly searching for the remains of a fellow soldier who was fatally shot by Kurdish fighters in May 2022. His body had remained unrecovered until the recent operation.
Turkiye’s defence ministry confirmed that an administrative investigation into the incident has been launched and the cause of the gas exposure will be examined in detail.
In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), the Pakistani Foreign Office expressed its sorrow over the loss:
“We wish Allah’s mercy upon the martyrs and express our deepest condolences to the bereaved families. Pakistan stands in firm solidarity with our brotherly nation Turkiye in this moment of grief.”
The two nations enjoy historically close ties rooted in shared cultural, religious, and historical values. That solidarity has been repeatedly demonstrated in times of tragedy on both sides.
Just last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan condemned a deadly terrorist attack in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district that claimed the lives of 13 soldiers. “I pray to Allah for mercy on our Pakistani brothers and sisters who lost their lives in the attack, and wish a speedy recovery to the wounded,” President Erdoğan had stated. “As always, Turkiye will continue to stand by our longstanding friend Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.”
That mutual support was also evident in February 2023, when Pakistan sent emergency aid, medical teams, and search-and-rescue personnel to Turkiye following the devastating twin earthquakes that killed over 55,000 people and injured more than 100,000 others.
This latest tragedy underscores the shared sacrifices and the deep bond between the two nations, as Pakistan joins Turkiye in mourning the loss of its soldiers.
