South Asia News
Roadside bomb kills one Dutch soldier, wounds five in Afghanistan
Sep 7, 2008, 19:57 GMT
Amsterdam - One Dutch soldier was killed and five sustained injuries following when their YPR-pantser vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb in the Afghan province of Uruzghan, Dutch commander in chief Peter van Uhm confirmed on Sunday.
The incident at around 3 pm local time, 3 kilometres distant from the military base of Qudus in the Baluchi valley and some 19 kilometres from Tarin Kowt where the Dutch military headquarters are located.
Twenty-one-year old Jos ten Brinke is the third Dutch soldier to be killed by a roadside bomb.
The condition of one of the wounded soldiers was described as 'critical'.
Dutch Defence Minister Eimert van Middelkoop said he 'abhorred' what he called the 'cowardly attack' and said he was 'deeply moved' by the soldier's death.
A total of 17 Dutch military have been killed in Afghanistan since the Dutch started their mission there in August 2006. Thirteen were killed following clashes with Taliban militia.
Some 1,650 Dutch troops are stationed in the Afghan province of Uruzghan as part of NATO's International Assistance and Security Forces (ISAF).
Since August 2006, a total of 9,500 Dutch troops have served in Afghanistan, on a four-month rotation.
The Dutch are due to remain in Afghanistan until August 2010 but will gradually reduce the number of their troops to 1,200.
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