Netherlands to deploy 160 soldiers for peacekeeping mission in Bosnia

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The Netherlands will send 160 soldiers to the European Union Peacekeeping Mission (EUFOR Althea) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the coutry's Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

A joint statement from Defense and Foreign Ministry said that 150 soldiers will be sent to EUFOR Althea in October, and 10 soldiers will go to gather intelligence in the region in June.

The soldiers are expected to serve for a year, while the intelligence officers will stay for two years.

The decision came from the Council of Ministers under the pretext that Russia and China are attempting to increase their influence in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The statement added that the importance of EUFOR Althea has increased manifold since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.

Operation Althea, formally EUFOR, is a military deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina which was established in 2004 to oversee the military implementation of the Dayton peace agreement and ensure security in the country.