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Netherlands to join U.S.-led air strikes against ISIS in Syria

Xinhua, January 30, 2016 Adjust font size:

The Netherlands on Friday decided to join U.S.-led airstrikes against targets of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant(ISIS) in Syria.

Since October 2014, the Netherlands has been sending F16 fighter jets to bomb ISIS targets in Iraq. But the coalition government has different views whether to extend its mission into Syria.

The extension of the mission was expected after the junior coalition partner, the PvdA (Labor Party), on Tuesday decided to not to halt such an operation.

"Only if we take away safe havens of ISIS in Iraq and Syria can we prevent attacks," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said here in a press conference.

In addition, the Dutch cabinet has agreed on a series of measures to solve the conflicts in Iraq and Syria through political and humanitarian means.

"We are convinced that only a consistent approach will help to bring back stability in Iraq and Syria," said Foreign Minister Bert Koenders.

The Netherlands is also investigating the possibility of providing Iraqi forces, including the Peshmerga, more material assistance. It also examined whether it is possible to give more training to the ground forces in the fight against ISIS. Enditem