Dutch military mission in Afghanistan set to end

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Dutch military is all set to end its 20-year mission in Afghanistan this month, a media report said on Sunday.

To mark the moment, the Ministry of Defence in Amsterdam gave two Dutch mission flags to the National Military Museum in Soesterberg.

The Netherlands Times quoted Defence Minister Anke Bijleveld as saying: “We are leaving with mixed feelings. We see the images of Taliban progressing.”

She noted: “The security situation (Afghanistan) is worrying and some of the progress may be lost.”

Dozens of people attended the flag ceremony, where 25 chairs were left vacant to represent the Dutch soldiers who were killed in the war-torn country.

A moment of silence was observed for the many Afghans who died as a result of war.

Currently, 160 Dutch soldiers are still on the ground in Afghanistan. The Dutch soldiers have been in Afghanistan since 2002, mainly in central Uruzgan province.

PAN Monitor/mud