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81-658: On the eastern shores of the Lauwersmeer is the Marnewaard , an exercise area of the Royal Netherlands Army . The central and eastern parts of the lake became Lauwersmeer National Park on 12 November 2003. The Lauwers Sea (in Dutch : Lauwerszee ) was formed by a flood in 1280, and named after the river Lauwers , which flows along the border between the provinces of Groningen and Friesland . During

162-466: A distinctive unit insignia on the right arm, while the Dutch flag and the wearer's regiment or corps are worn on the left arm. To optimise the effectiveness of the uniform, multiple camouflage patterns are in use: The service dress uniform ( Dagelijks tenue, DT ) is used for everyday office, barracks and non-field duty purposes. The uniform was designed by the famous couturier Frans Molenaar and entered service in 2000. It consists of trousers ,

243-712: A third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington , Virginia , just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville , in rural Pennsylvania , after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. , to target the White House , or the US Capitol . No one aboard the flights survived. The death toll among responders including firefighters and police

324-476: A jacket, dress shirt , neck tie and headgear ( beret , peaked cap or side cap ), in a gray-green fabric. The special dress uniform ( Gelegenheidstenue, GLT ) is worn for certain formal occasions. It consists of the garments of the service dress uniform, differing by the white dress shirt, black neck tie, white gloves, decorations worn in Prussian arrangement, while officers wear an orange sash around

405-568: A mortar firing exercise, a third serviceman was severely wounded. The incident lead to the resignation of the minister of Defence Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and Chief of Defence Tom Middendorp after a critical report by the Dutch Safety Board found that the safety-standards were subpar. The Netherlands have ended their troop contribution to the peacekeeping mission in May 2019 to send troops to Afghanistan instead. The cabinet of

486-436: A multinatinational battle group that is headed by Germany. Each rotation is composed of armoured infantry companies equipped with CV90 35NL IFVs and Boxer AFVs , or artillery batteries equipped with PzH 2000NL self-propelled howitzers . The core fighting element of the army consists of three brigades: 11 Airmobile Brigade , 13 Light Brigade and 43 Mechanised Brigade . The number of full-time professional personnel

567-603: A reinforced army company was deployed to Afghanistan to provide support in maintaining public order, and providing security in and around the capital Kabul . In addition, military assistance was provided to the Afghan National Army and to local security troops. The troops were deployed under the command of NATO 's International Security Assistance Force mission. Between 2006 and 2010, the Netherlands deployed personnel to southern Afghanistan. Together with

648-563: A traditional organisation in which a distinction exists between arms of services. This organisation is purely ceremonial. Generally speaking, combat and combat support units are organised in arms, and support units are organised in services. There are two exceptions: the Engineers and the Signals Service. The arms and services can in turn be further divided into one, or multiple regiments. These administrative organisations safeguard

729-551: Is 21,225, in addition to around 4,046 reservists. The Royal Netherlands Army is a volunteer force; compulsory military service has not been abolished but has been suspended. The other three services, (the Royal Netherlands Navy , Royal Netherlands Air Force and Royal Marechaussee ), are fully volunteer forces as well. Besides the hierarchical organisation, the Royal Netherlands Army upholds

810-554: Is a lack of agreement about whether to spell the former name as "Lauwersee" or "Lauwerszee". Some older maps show it as "Lauwerzee". Royal Netherlands Army The Royal Netherlands Army ( Dutch : Koninklijke Landmacht , KL) is the land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces . Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the Staatse Leger

891-764: Is referred to as the War in Afghanistan in order to distinguish it from the country's various other wars, notably the ongoing Afghan conflict of which it was a part, and the Soviet–Afghan War . From the perspective of the West , the war is divided between 2001 and 2014 (the ISAF mission), when most combat operations were performed by coalition forces, a 2015 to 2021 (the Resolute Support Mission ), when

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972-656: The Regiment Huzaren van Boreel and the Regiment Huzaren Prinses Catharina-Amalia . One has responsibility for the army's active reconnaissance units, while the other has been formed as the parent regiment for units equipped with main battle tanks (MBTs). Prior to 2012, the army also included full armoured regiments equipped with MBTs. One of these, the Regiment Huzaren Prins Alexander ,

1053-717: The 1st Panzer Division . In 2023, the final brigade of the Royal Netherlands Army, the 13th Light Brigade , was integrated into the 10th Panzer Division of the German Bundeswehr . Additionally, the German Air Defence Missile Group 61 ( German : Flugabwehrraketengruppe 61 ) was integrated into the Dutch Joint Ground-based Air Defence Command in 2018. The Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, but its origins date back to

1134-614: The Armed Forces of the Netherlands is exercised by the government (consisting of the King and the cabinet ministers ); there is thus no constitutional supreme commander . However, army personnel do swear allegiance to the Dutch monarch . Dutch army doctrine strongly emphasises international co-operation. The Netherlands are a founding member of, and strong contributor to NATO , while closely co-operating with fellow member states during European Union -led missions as well. Moreover,

1215-1085: The Australian armed forces , Dutch forces were assigned the province of Uruzgan as their area of operations . In mid-2006, Dutch special forces of the Korps Commandotroepen as part of the Deployment Task Force successfully deployed to Tarin Kowt to lay the ground for the increasing numbers of engineers who were due to build a base there. By August 2006 the Netherlands had deployed the majority of 1,400 troops to Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan at Multi National Base Tarin Kot (Kamp Holland) in Tarin Kowt (1,200) and Kamp Hadrian in Deh Rahwod (200). PzH 2000 self-propelled artillery pieces were deployed and used in combat for

1296-825: The Batavian Republic in 1795, which in turn was replaced by the army of the Kingdom of Holland in 1806. This army fought beside the French, to repel the Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland in 1799 and to wage several campaigns in Germany, Austria, and Spain between 1800 and 1810; particularly notable were the engagements of the Horse Artillery (Korps Rijdende Artillerie) at the Battle of Friedland in 1807,

1377-898: The Battle of Nieuwpoort . The Dutch States Army of the Dutch Republic saw action in the Eighty Years' War , the Dano-Swedish War , the Franco-Dutch War , the Nine Years' War , the War of Spanish Succession , the War of Austrian Succession , as well as the French Revolutionary Wars . With the French conquest of the Netherlands, the Staatse Leger was replaced by the army of

1458-573: The Battle of Rotterdam and the Battle of the Afsluitdijk , the devastating German bombing of Rotterdam and the threat of bombing the city of Utrecht forced the Dutch supreme command to capitulate. The Royal Netherlands army was disbanded during the German occupation, however army personnel continued the battle against the German occupiers during the war. Army resistance began to rise again with

1539-811: The Dutch East Indies , the expeditionary land force First Division "7 December" was established in 1946. Approximately 25,000 volunteers and 95,000 conscripts were deployed to the East during the conflict, 4,751 servicemen were killed. During the Korean War , 4,748 members of the army, the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Netherlands Marine Corps formed the Nederlands Detachement Verenigde Naties and were dispatched to East Asia to fight against

1620-694: The Orangist uprising against Napoleonic rule, an independent Dutch army was reformed by the new Kingdom of the United Netherlands . Several militias of the Dutch States Army were integrated into this newly formed Netherlands Mobile Army, and it became an integral part of the allied army during the Hundred Days campaign that culminated in the Battle of Waterloo . Units such as Baron Chassé's were essential to securing victory for

1701-516: The Royal House of the Netherlands . Only the sovereign can grant a military unit a colour or standard, therefore the royal cypher of the monarch that granted the regiment its (original) colour is displayed. In addition, the colours and standards are often inscribed with (historical) battle honours. By prominently displaying them, the aim is to add to the esprit de corps , uphold the collective memory and serve as inspiration for future actions of

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1782-563: The Siege of Srebrenica and the ensuing Srebrenica massacre . Bosnian Serb troops under the command of general Ratko Mladic , sentenced to life imprisonment on accounts of participating in genocide , crimes against humanity , and war crimes in 2017, invaded the enclave of Srebrenica and subsequently deported and massacred a large share of the present Bosniak men and boys. A contingent of 1,345 troops (comprising Army and Dutch Marines , supported by Royal Netherlands Air Force helicopters)

1863-601: The Talib who sought to end warlordism in Afghanistan through stricter adherence to Sharia . On 27 September 1996, the Taliban, with military support by Pakistan and financial support from Saudi Arabia , seized Kabul and founded the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan . The Taliban imposed their fundamentalist Deobandi interpretation of Islam in areas under their control, issuing edicts forbidding women to work outside

1944-544: The killing of Osama bin Laden in May 2011, and NATO leaders began planning an exit strategy from Afghanistan. On 28 December 2014, NATO formally ended ISAF combat operations in Afghanistan and officially transferred full security responsibility to the Afghan government. Unable to eliminate the Taliban through military means, coalition forces (and separately, the Afghan government led by Ashraf Ghani ) turned to diplomacy to end

2025-462: The (special) service dress uniform and mess dress uniform can both be worn in a tropics colourway. There are four main uniform categories: The combat uniform ( Gevechtstenue, GVT ) is the day-to-day combat uniform, known as Gevechtstenue (GVT M93) and consists of a Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) jacket and trousers with additional items such as thermals and waterproofs that can be worn underneath. Army combat uniforms are fitted with

2106-421: The 1990s in clandestine operations to locate and kill or capture Osama bin Laden. These teams planned several operations but did not receive the order to proceed from President Clinton. Their efforts built relationships with Afghan leaders that proved essential in the 2001 invasion. On the morning of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a total of 19 men affiliated with Al-Qaeda carried out four coordinated attacks in

2187-598: The 9,084 soldiers who served in Lebanon, 9 soldiers were killed in action. The Fall of the Iron Curtain and the ensuing end of the Cold War has had a significant impact on the Dutch armed forces as a whole, but on the army in particular. Mandatory conscription was suspended and surplus equipment deemed unnecessary was sold. An airmobile brigade was formed and co-operation with allied countries, Germany in particular,

2268-616: The Afghan armed forces did most of the fighting against the Taliban. The war was named Operation Enduring Freedom from 2001 to 2014 and as Operation Freedom's Sentinel from 2015 to 2021 by the US. Alternatively, it has been called the US War in Afghanistan. In Afghanistan itself, the war is known as simply the "War in Afghanistan" ( Dari : جنگ در افغانستان Jang dar Afghanistan , Pashto : د افغانستان جګړه Da Afghanistan Jagra ). The Taliban emerged from religious students known as

2349-653: The Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif as part of NATO 's Resolute Support Mission . Dutch troops co-operate with personnel of the German Kommando Spezialkräfte as part of the German-Dutch lead Special Operations Advisory Team (SOAT). The SOAT provides advice and assistance during operations to an Afghan police tactical unit , the Afghan Territorial Force-888 (ATF-888). The SOAT has been granted authority to deploy in

2430-558: The Dutch 43 Mechanised Brigade , at the same time becoming a combined German-Dutch unit, with one of the three tank companies and part of the staff and support companies manned with Dutch troops. The services ( Dienstvakken ) consist of the logistical service, which comprises four regiments, and four stand-alone support services. The Royal Netherlands Army consists of the following services and regiments: The Royal Netherlands Army uniform has multiple categories, ranging from ceremonial uniforms to combat dress to evening wear. In addition,

2511-456: The French agreed to send reinforcements. The Netherlands continued the policy of neutrality during World War I . This stance arose partly from a strict policy of neutrality in international affairs that started in 1830 with the secession of Belgium . Dutch neutrality was not guaranteed by the major powers in Europe however, nor was it a part of the Dutch constitution. The country's neutrality

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2592-525: The I Corps was the force strategic reserve and was located in the Vesting Holland, around The Hague , Leiden , Haarlem and in the Westland . The German invasion posed a complete surprise for the army command and shocked the Dutch population. While the Royal Netherlands Army initially managed to slow down the German advance and fought back in intense battles, such as the Battle for The Hague ,

2673-1140: The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan: 3,000–3,500 [REDACTED] Taliban : 58,000-100,000 (As of February 2021) [REDACTED] HIG : 1,500–2,000+ (2014) [REDACTED] al-Qaeda : ~300 in 2016 (~ 3,000 in 2001) [REDACTED] Fidai Mahaz : 8,000 (2013) Afghan security forces: 66,000–69,095 killed Northern Alliance: 200 killed Coalition : Dead: 3,579 Wounded: 23,536 Contractors Dead: 3,917 Wounded: 15,000+ Taliban insurgents : 52,893 killed (2,000+ al-Qaeda fighters) Civilians killed: 70,000 Total killed: 176,206 (per Brown University ) 212,191+ (per UCDP ) The continued list includes nations who have contributed fewer than 200 troops as of November 2014. Timeline Major operations Airstrikes Major insurgent attacks 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Massacres Other The War in Afghanistan

2754-534: The Lauwers Sea (32 km of dikes) or to make a 13 km dam separating the Lauwers Sea and the Wadden Sea. After a study found that the 13 km dike plan was more expensive than the 32 km plan, the government decided on the cheaper option. The people living in the area resisted and a committee was formed ( actiecomité "Lauwerszee" ). They collected 135,000 signatures of people who wanted to close

2835-535: The Lauwers Sea were from 1849. In the 1930s a commission came up with several plans but all were shelved and were never accomplished. The flood disaster of 1953 and the Christmas flood of 1954 made clear that something had to be done. In 1958 the New Delta Law ordered a reinforcement of the dikes in the north of the Netherlands. At the Lauwers Sea there were two options: to reinforce the existing dikes around

2916-497: The Lauwers Sea. In Leeuwarden a large gathering was organised to show the government that local people did not agree with the decision. On 10 June 1960 Kabinet-De Quay decided to enclose the Lauwers Sea, agreeing to share the cost with the Provinces of Groningen and Friesland , which also agreed to maintain the dike upon completion. The 13-kilometer-long dike has sluices and a canal lock . A new harbour called Lauwersoog

2997-638: The Netherlands announced in 2016 that the Netherlands would contribute troops to the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence mission in Lithuania to protect and reassure countries on NATO 's eastern flank— Baltic countries and Poland in particular—of their security following increased political tensions sparked by the Russo-Ukrainian War . The Dutch contribution currently equates to approximately 270 troops, integrated into

3078-583: The Royal Netherlands Army are laid out in the Constitution of the Netherlands : defend the territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (including the Dutch Caribbean ) and all of its allies, protect and advance the international legal order and to support the (local) government in law enforcement, disaster relief and humanitarian aid, both nationally and internationally. The supreme authority over

3159-720: The Royal Netherlands Army consists of a single battalion. The current order of battle includes a total of seven infantry battalions – of these, two are classed as foot guards and the remainder as line infantry . The staff support companies of 11 Airmobile Brigade , 13 Light Brigade and 43 Mechanised Brigade are part of the Garderegiment Grenadiers en Jagers , the Garderegiment Fusiliers Prinses Irene and Regiment Infanterie Johan Willem Friso , respectively. The cavalry arm currently consists of two active regiments –

3240-516: The Royal Netherlands Army: All regiments and corps are granted a colour ( vaandel ) or standard ( standaard ), including (since 2002) the artillery corps, which at the time was a breach with tradition. The colours and standards form the embodiment of the history and character of the respective regiment or corps. The standards are smaller in size because of a historical reason: horseback units would often struggle with

3321-407: The September 11 attacks, President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban immediately extradite al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to the United States; the Taliban refused to do so without evidence of Bin Laden's involvement. After the expelling of the Taliban and their allies, the US-led coalition remained in Afghanistan, forming a security mission (ISAF)—sanctioned by the United Nations —with

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3402-592: The Taliban against the United Front. A smaller number were inducted into Al-Qaeda. After the August 1998 United States embassy bombings were linked to bin Laden, President Bill Clinton ordered missile strikes on militant training camps in Afghanistan. US officials pressed the Taliban to surrender bin Laden. In 1999, the international community imposed sanctions on the Taliban, calling for bin Laden to be surrendered. The Taliban repeatedly rebuffed these demands. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Special Activities Division paramilitary teams were active in Afghanistan in

3483-612: The Taliban and other Islamist groups waged asymmetric warfare , fighting with guerrilla warfare in the countryside, suicide attacks against urban targets, and reprisals against perceived Afghan collaborators. By 2007, large parts of Afghanistan had been retaken by the Taliban. In response, the coalition sent a major influx of troops for counter-insurgency operations , with a " clear and hold " strategy for villages and towns; this influx peaked in 2011, when roughly 140,000 foreign troops were operating under ISAF command across Afghanistan. A US covert operation in neighboring Pakistan led to

3564-709: The Taliban controlled as much as 90% of Afghanistan, with the Northern Alliance confined to the country's northeast corner. Fighting alongside Taliban forces were some 28,000–30,000 Pakistanis (usually also Pashtun) and 2,000–3,000 Al-Qaeda militants. The 9/11 Commission in the US found that under the Taliban, Al-Qaeda was able to use Afghanistan as a place to train and teach fighters, import weapons, coordinate with other jihadists , and plot terrorist actions. While Al-Qaeda maintained its own camps in Afghanistan , it also supported training camps of other organizations. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 men passed through these facilities before 9/11, most of whom were sent to fight for

3645-416: The United States. Four commercial passenger jet airliners were hijacked. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and more than 2,000 people in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within two hours from damage related to the crashes, destroying and damaging nearby buildings. The hijackers crashed

3726-514: The allied army. The army was involved in various conflicts since 1814, including the Waterloo campaign (1815) and different colonial wars (1825–1925). During the Belgian Revolution , from 1830 to 1832, the army was deployed to restore order in the southern provinces. After initial Dutch military success and widespread Belgian defeat during battles of the Ten Days' Campaign , the Belgian rebels appealed to France for military support. The severely outnumbered Dutch troops were forced to retreat when

3807-412: The anti-Taliban Northern Alliance ; Osama bin Laden, meanwhile, relocated to neighboring Pakistan . The conflict officially ended with the 2021 Taliban offensive , which overthrew the Islamic Republic, and re-established the Islamic Emirate. It was the longest war in the military history of the United States , surpassing the length of the Vietnam War (1955–1975) by approximately six months. Following

3888-474: The capture of the city of Stralsund in 1807 and 1809, and the participation of the Dutch brigade in the Peninsular War between 1808 and 1810. The independent army was disbanded in 1810, when Napoleon decided to integrate the Netherlands into France (" La Hollande est reunie à l'Empire "): Dutch military units became part of the Grande Armée (the present-day French 126th Infantry Regiment has Dutch origins). Dutch military elements participated in

3969-409: The conflict. These efforts culminated in the United States–Taliban deal in February 2020, which stipulated the withdrawal of all US troops from Afghanistan by 2021. In exchange, the Taliban pledged to prevent any militant group from staging attacks from Afghan territory against the US and its allies. However, the Afghan government was not a party to the deal and rejected its terms. Coinciding with

4050-431: The disastrous French invasion of Russia in 1812, and the actions of the Pontonniers company under Captain Benthien at the Berezina River ( Battle of Berezina ) are especially noteworthy. New research points out that, contrary to long-held belief, around half of the Dutch contingent of the Grande Armée survived the Russian Campaign. In 1814, a year after the return of William I of the Netherlands to Scheveningen and

4131-505: The entirety of Afghanistan. Special forces of the Korps Commandotroepen have been deployed to Mali since 2014 as part of the UN-mission MINUSMA . The primary task of the Dutch forces has been to gather intelligence concerning local Islamist groups and to protect the people of Mali against radical Islamist groups. Since 2016, personnel of 11th Airmobile Brigade and 13th Light Brigade have been included in rotations. On 6 July 2016, two servicemen of 11 Airmobile Brigade were killed during

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4212-415: The first time. The Dutch forces operated under the command of the ISAF Task Force Uruzgan and were involved in some of the more intensive combat operations in southern Afghanistan, including Operation Medusa and the Battle of Chora . On 18 April 2008, the second day of his command, the son of the Commander of the Royal Netherlands Army Lieutenant-general Peter van Uhm , Lieutenant Dennis van Uhm,

4293-448: The flood the mouth of the river Lauwers disappeared, and its tributaries the Reitdiep , the Dokkumerdiep , and the Ee flowed directly into the new bay. Many plans were made after this disaster to shut it off from the sea but none was ever put into effect. However, parts of it were empoldered piecemeal, slowly reducing it from a large two-forked estuary to the nearly square inlet seen on recent maps. The first serious plans for draining

4374-403: The formation of the Princess Irene Brigade and No. 2 (Dutch) Troop (predecessor to the Korps Commandotroepen ) as part of the Free Dutch Forces in exile, and with army personnel active in the Dutch resistance . In the East, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army was defeated by the Japanese in 1942; few elements managed to escape. Today's army grew out of the wartime force, starting with

4455-550: The founding of the Staatse Leger (the Army of the Dutch States) in 1572: the creation of one of the first modern standing armies. Under the command of famous commanders such as Maurice of Orange and William Louis of Nassau-Dillenburg , the army developed into one of the best-organised and best-trained armies of the 17th and early 18th centuries. The innovative army underwent a thorough process of professionalisation under their command including revolutionary foot drill and siege tactics, proven effective during sieges such as

4536-410: The goal of creating a new democratic authority in the country that would prevent the Taliban from returning to power. A new Afghan Interim Administration was established, and international rebuilding efforts were launched. By 2003, the Taliban had reorganized under their founder, Mullah Omar , and began a widespread insurgency against the new Afghan government and coalition forces. Insurgents from

4617-400: The home, attend school or to leave their homes unless accompanied by a male relative. According to the United Nations (UN), the Taliban, while trying to consolidate control over northern and western Afghanistan, committed systematic massacres against civilians. UN officials stated that there had been "15 massacres" between 1996 and 2001, many of them targeting Shias and Hazaras . By 2001,

4698-426: The large sized poles of the regular colours, and therefore chose to wield a shorter version. To this day, the mounted units of the Royal Netherland Army, such as cavalry , field artillery and horse artillery , use the smaller sized standards. The Royal Marechaussee , which used to be a mounted unit of the Royal Netherlands Army, owns a standard as well. In contrast to the functional use of colours and standards in

4779-431: The last tank unit and sold the remaining Leopard tanks due another series of large budget cuts while also dismissing 6,000 servicemen and women. On 18 May 2011, the last Leopard 2 fired the final shot at the Bergen-Hohne Training Area . In 2014, the Dutch defence budget hit a new low, 7.4 billion euros (1.09% of GDP), resulting in the combat readiness of both personnel and equipment being subpar. The negative trend

4860-405: The liberation of parts of the Netherlands in 1944; the Dutch had plans to contribute a 200,000 strong army to the defeat of Germany and Japan. Between 1945 and 1949, the Royal Netherlands Army, which originally used mainly war volunteers but later was heavily dependent on conscripts, was deployed to the Dutch East Indies during the Indonesian War of Independence . To restore Dutch authority in

4941-404: The past, during which they served as landmarks on the battlefield, their contemporary role has been greatly reduced. Nonetheless, they continue to play an important role during various military ceremonies. For example, soldiers swear the oath of enlistment while holding the respective colour or standard. Moreover, the colours and standards constitute an important connection between military units and

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5022-443: The protracted US-led military presence in the country. Overall, the war killed an estimated 176,000–212,000+ people, including 46,319 civilians. While more than 5.7 million former refugees returned to Afghanistan after the 2001 invasion, by the time the Taliban returned to power in 2021, 2.6 million Afghans remained refugees , while another 4 million were internally displaced . This twenty-year armed conflict (2001–2021)

5103-1134: The respective unit. The ranks of the Royal Netherlands were established by royal decree of Queen Juliana in 1956. Each regiment and corps has a distinctive cap badge and beret . Many units also call soldiers of different ranks by different names, for example a NATO OR-1 private is called a hussar ( huzaar ) in cavalry regiments and a cannoneer ( kannonier ) in artillery units. The rank insignia of commissioned officers . The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel . War in Afghanistan (2001%E2%80%932021) Invasion (2001): [REDACTED]   Northern Alliance [REDACTED]   United States [REDACTED]   United Kingdom [REDACTED]   Canada RS phase (2015–2021): [REDACTED] ISAF : 130,000+ (Peak Strength) [REDACTED] Afghan National Defense and Security Forces : 307,947 (Peak Strength, January 2021) [REDACTED] Resolute Support Mission : 17,178 (Peak Strength, October 2019) Defence Contractors: 117,227 (Peak Strength, Q2 2012) [REDACTED] High Council of

5184-521: The spring of 2018, Dutch special operations forces ( KCT and NLMARSOF ) deployed advice and assist (A&A) teams to northern Iraq in co-operation with the Belgian Special Forces Group . During this deployment, they provided support to Kurdish Peshmerga and Iraqi Army forces before, during and after operations in the battle against ISIL , as part of the Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve . The Netherlands currently deploy approximately 60 troops to Iraq. Between 2001 and 2003,

5265-413: The successful Dutch-German military co-operation is seen as a harbinger of European defence integration, facing fewer linguistic and cultural issues than the comparable Franco-German Brigade . In 2014, the 11 Airmobile Brigade was integrated into the Rapid Forces Division ; in 2016, the Dutch-German 414 Tank Battalion was integrated into the 43rd Mechanised Brigade , which was in turn integrated into

5346-475: The traditions of the operational units. Before the Second World War , regiments were merely given a number, with the exception of the Grenadiers and Jagers regiments. Since the 1950s however, the regiments were given a historical name. The function of a regiment is strictly ceremonial, and is intended to increase esprit de corps . The Royal Netherlands Army consists of the following arms, and subsequent regiments and corps: Each infantry regiment of

5427-629: The troops of the People's Republic of China and North Korea. 122 soldiers were killed in action, 3 soldiers went missing in action . The I (Netherlands) Corps stood watch alongside its NATO allies in Germany during the Cold War. The corps consisted of three divisions during the 1980s, the 1st, 4th, and 5th (reserve) divisions. It was part of the NATO Northern Army Group . The corps's war assignment, as formulated by Commander, Northern Army Group (COMNORTHAG), would be to: Dutch army troops have deployed to Lebanon as part of an international protection force since 1979 War in Lebanon, 1979–1985 UNIFIL . Of

5508-419: The waist. The mess dress uniform ( Avondtenue, AT ) is worn during formal occasions, such as a dinner or a ball and consists of a black smoking, complemented with a peaked cap and miniature medals. Each regiment and corps within the army has its own full dress uniform ( Ceremonieel tenue, CT ), which is a traditional uniform that is worn during ceremonies and special occasions. In past eras, music

5589-461: The withdrawal of troops, the Taliban launched a broad offensive throughout the summer of 2021, successfully reestablishing their control over Afghanistan, including the capital city of Kabul on 15 August . On the same day, the last president of the Islamic Republic, Ashraf Ghani, fled the country; the Taliban declared victory and the war was formally brought to a close. By 30 August, the last American military aircraft departed from Afghanistan , ending

5670-516: Was an armed conflict that took place from 2001 to 2021. Launched as a direct response to the September 11 attacks , the war began when an international military coalition led by the United States invaded Afghanistan , declaring Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the earlier-declared war on terror , toppling the Taliban -ruled Islamic Emirate , and establishing the Islamic Republic three years later. The Taliban and its allies were expelled from major population centers by US-led forces supporting

5751-490: Was announced that the Netherlands will acquire new tanks. Dutch army personnel was deployed to Bosnia between 1994 and 1995 to, as part of the UN peace force UNPROFOR , to restrain the escalating ethnic violence of the Bosnian War . Three infantry battalion (known as Dutchbats ) of the, at the time, recently established 11 Air Assault Brigade were sequentially deployed to guard the United Nations Safe Areas of any possible threats. This mission became infamous following

5832-668: Was based on the belief that its strategic position between the German Empire , German-occupied Belgium, and the British guaranteed its safety. The Dutch military strategy was aimed exclusively at defence and rested to a large extent on the Dutch Water Line , a defensive ring of rivers and lowland surrounding the core Dutch region of Holland, that could be inundated. At the beginning of the Second World War ,

5913-581: Was broken from 2015 onwards due to a perceived shifting international security situation. The attitude towards defence changed, mainly caused by increasing tensions with Russia (caused by the downing of the MH17 flight and the annexation of Crimea ) and the rise of the Islamic State , resulting in the defence budget seeing an increase of over 50 percent between 2014 and 2020, amounting to 11.04 billion euros (1.35% of GDP) in 2020. In September 2024 it

5994-549: Was built part-way along the dike. Final enclosure and separation from the Wadden Sea took place on 25 May 1969; since then it has been called the Lauwersmeer. New flora and fauna appeared as the Lauwerszee gradually became a freshwater lake, and to protect this new and young nature area, it was decided (12 November 2003) to designate the Lauwersmeer as a national park . The ferry to Schiermonnikoog that had previously left from Oostmahorn now leaves from Lauwersoog . There

6075-465: Was collected throughout the 1990s, 2000s and early 2010s resulting in a dramatic downsizing in both budget and size. Of a total of 445 Leopard 2 MBTs originally purchased, 114 tanks and 1 turret were sold to Austria, 100 to Canada, 57 to Norway, 1 driver training tank and 10 turrets to Germany and 38 to Portugal (1 driver training tank). On 8 April 2011, the Dutch Ministry of Defense dissolved

6156-676: Was deployed to Iraq in 2003, based at Camp Smitty near As Samawah (Southern Iraq) with responsibility for the Muthanna Province, as part of the Multinational force in Iraq . On 1 June 2004, the Dutch government renewed their stay through 2005. The Netherlands pulled its troops out of Iraq in March 2005, leaving half a dozen liaison officers until late 2005. The Netherlands lost two soldiers in separate attacks . From 2015 until

6237-560: Was disbanded in 2007 due to budget cuts. The other two, the Regiment Huzaren Van Sytzama (former 1st Hussar Regiment) and the Regiment Huzaren Prins van Oranje (former 2nd Hussar Regiment) were disbanded, along with the army's full armoured capability, in 2012 as a result of further cuts to the Dutch defence budget. In 2016, a German armoured unit, 414 Panzer Battalion , was attached to

6318-768: Was intensified. The I (NL) Corps was reduced to the First Division "7 December" in 1995, which became part of the newly established I. German/Dutch Corps , and consequently the division headquarters itself was disbanded. In addition, the army increasingly concentrated on peace-keeping and peace-enforcing operations and has been involved in several operations in the former Yugoslavia (1991–present), but also in Cambodia (1992–1994), Haiti (1995–1996), Cyprus (1998–1999), Eritrea and Ethiopia (2001), and most recent in Iraq (2003–2005), Afghanistan (2002–present), Chad (2008–2009) and Mali (2014–2019). As mentioned, peace dividend

6399-456: Was one of two servicemen killed by a road side explosion. As of 1 September 2008, the Netherlands had a total of 1,770 troops in Afghanistan excluding special forces troops. In total, 25 Dutch servicemen were killed in action during the deployment. All Dutch troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan by August 2010. Since 2015, 160 Dutch troops from the Korps Commandotroepen (rotated with NLMARSOF ) and multiple support elements are deployed to

6480-989: Was raised making the Dutch standing army one of the oldest in the world. It fought in the Napoleonic Wars , World War II , the Indonesian War of Independence and the Korean War , as well as served with NATO on the Cold War frontiers in West Germany from the 1950s to the 1990s. Since 1990, the army has been sent into the Iraq War (from 2003) and into the War in Afghanistan , as well as deployed in several United Nations' peacekeeping missions (notably with UNIFIL in Lebanon, UNPROFOR in Bosnia-Herzegovina and MINUSMA in Mali). The tasks of

6561-535: Was used as a means of communication on the battlefield, and today military music retains an important role during military ceremonies such as enlistments and changes of command , and national events such as Prinsjesdag and the annual Remembrance of the Dead ceremony on 4 May. In addition, military bands provide the musical accompaniment during the presentation of letters of credence . Currently, there are four active military bands and fanfare orchestras within

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