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The Dutch (and Belgians) end their air mission in Iraq and Syria

(B2) The Netherlands on January 2 withdrew its six F-16s deployed in Jordan as part of US-led coalition operations in Syria and Iraq

(credit: MOD Netherlands)

The 150 soldiers participating in this detachment return to the country this week. It's the end of a bi-national commitment – ​​ensured in turn by the Belgians and the Dutch –. In 2018, the Dutch carried out 3000 missions firing 2100 munitions.

« Defense must have units available for various NATO rapidly deployable units » justifies the communicated of the Dutch defence. " It also gives room for the transition to the new fighter jet, the F-35 »

Both the Dutch and the Belgians, however, remain involved in Iraq in the context of the training of local forces.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde and Romain Mielcarek)

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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