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