About 100 Dutch troops leave for Afghanistan

THE HAGUE - About 100 Dutch soldiers left Eindhoven in the east of the country Monday for Afghanistan to take part in the international anti-terrorism operation there, the Defense Ministry said.
The Netherlands plans to send a total of 250 troops, among them 165 members of special forces, to Afghanistan as part of the effort dubbed "Enduring Freedom" and led by the United States.
It will also contribute four Chinook transport helicopters and crew to operate them.
Netherlands Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said in February that his government did not need the approval of parliament to send the soldiers to join an anti-terrorism operation as opposed to a peacekeeping mission.
The Netherlands had already participated in the US-led operation in Afghanistan from October 2002 to October 2003 by making several fighter planes available in nearby Kyrgyzstan.
The Dutch also deployed a warship in the Persian Gulf until January this year.

04/18/2005 19:35 GMT