Dutch troops set to join NATO police training mission in Kunduz
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Berlin, Jul 7, IRNA -- More than 160 Dutch soldiers were set to depart Thursday afternoon from an air force base in Eindhoven for the north Afghan province of Kunduz to join a NATO police training mission, according to Dutch news reports.
A group of Dutch troops and police officers have been stationed in Kunduz for the past months to make preparations for the training mission which has been mandated by the Dutch parliament.
Under the rules of engagement, Dutch troops will only use force to defend themselves or others and will not be required to fight Taliban or al-Qaeda rebels.
As part of the plan, around 545 Dutch military personnel will reportedly be deployed in Kunduz until the year 2014 for the training program, for which German soldiers would provide protection.
Furthermore, the Hague was to deploy four F-16 fighter jets with some 120 flight and ground personnel who were to have been pulled out of Afghanistan.
The new Afghan mission is extremely unpopular among the Dutch people as only 25 percent of them are in support of it.
The Netherlands was the first European country to withdraw its forces from Afghanistan in August 2010.
Around 2000 Dutch soldiers were based in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan since 2006.
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