![]() When a Dutch marine, an officer, allegedly shot an Iraqi looter when his group came under threath. They gave the impression that they where working for the local Iraqi governor. The Dutch government always made a point of it that they where a ‘peace keeping’ force that had a mandate much like the Dutch police. The operations in Iraq, although they where in one of the least violent area’s in Iraq, was not without problems. Although extra instructors where send to Bagdad most Dutch troops will leave Iraq. Australia is now going to replace these troops that also protect Japanese reconstruction soldiers. These announcements of the Dutch government follow on the decision to redraw the Dutch ‘peace keeping’ troops from Iraq. ![]() The final decision to send these additional troops is made public together with the announcement to take part in operation ‘Enduring Freedom’. These additional troops would be part of the Nato led ISAF force in which the Dutch already take part with their 'Provincial Reconstruction Team', now consisting of six Apache helicopters with 100 troops and 139 milary personell. The Dutch government had announced earlier, it is was investigating the possibility to send four F16 fighter planes to Kabul together with 100 man personnel and a battalion of Marines on stand by for the Afghan parliamentary elections that are most likely will be held this summer. It is the first time that the Netherlands is sending ground troops to do offensive operations in the war on terror. The troops will operate under American command and their prime task will be collecting intelligence and recon activities. They are joining operation “Enduring Freedom” and going to support the Americans in their offensive against the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The Dutch government is going to send 165 Special Forces (mainly commando troops and some marines) to Afghanistan, together with four Chinook transport helicopters and 85 military.
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