Final Netherlands F-16s headed to Jordan, ISIS fight

By Janene Pieters on October 3, 2014 - 14:20
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F-16 in flight (Source: Wikimedia Commons/NorwegianMilitary

The last five Dutch F-16's that will be participating in the mission against the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS), is on their way to Jordan, Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert (Defense) said today.

The fighter planes took off from Volkel Air Base. According to Hennis-Plasschaert it is not yet clear whether they will arrive in Jordan today, or make a stopover elsewhere.

The Netherlands will participate in air strikes on ISIS targets in Iraq with eight F-16's, including two reserve units. It is still unknown when they will perform the bombing. According to the minister "a number of things in the line of command" must first be settled.

Prime Minister said yesterday in the Second Chamber that the jets will be active over Iraq in the course of next week at the earliest.

There are already about 150 Dutch soldiers in Jordan. The other 100 colleagues of the F-16 unit will be heading there in the next few days. A additional 130 Dutchmen will go to Iraq at some point to train Kurdish soldiers.

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