Dutch Government Increases Military Presence in Afghanistan

The Dutch government plans to send an additional 200 soldiers to Afghanistan, more than doubling its military presence in the country. This decision comes after months of debate, with the parliament earlier agreeing to deploy 1,400 troops as part of a larger international force. The increased presence aims to address the deteriorating security situation in the southern province of Uruzgan, where the Dutch military is set to establish a base. The Dutch Military Intelligence Service (MIVD) has warned that the risk to troops has significantly risen.

Key Takeaways:

• The Dutch government plans to send 200 additional soldiers to Afghanistan, increasing its military presence to 1,600 troops.
• The extra troops will be deployed to the southern province of Uruzgan, with a focus on protecting construction and supply troops, as well as guarding six Apache attack helicopters.
• The decision was made in light of the "considerable worsening" of the security situation in the province, as warned by the Dutch Military Intelligence Service (MIVD).
• The parliament agreed to deploy 1,400 troops in February, but the coalition government has now informed parliament of the plan to send an additional 200 soldiers as soon as possible.
• The Dutch troops will be stationed for two years as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Statistics:

• The Dutch military presence in Afghanistan will increase to 1,600 troops.
• Approximately 150 troops will be involved in protecting construction and supply troops.
• The remaining troops will be tasked with guarding six Apache attack helicopters at the largest Dutch base in Tarin Kowt.
• The Dutch troops will be stationed in Afghanistan for two years.

Sources:

• Xinhua via COMTEX
• Expatica (Dutch news website)