Just 250 Dutch soldiers remain in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan, the defence ministry confirmed to the Volkskrant on Wednesday.

The Netherlands is ending its role in the international mission from August 1 and the last part of the Dutch military command will be formally handed over the to the US and Australia on Sunday. On average, 1,400 Dutch soldiers served in the region at any one time
Peter van Uhm, chief of the Dutch armed forces, told a news conference in The Hague the four-year Dutch mission to Afghanistan had achieved tangible results which the country can be proud of.
Proud

There is more security, a better health service and more economic activity since the Dutch got involved in the summer of 2006, Van Uhm said.
There are now some 3,00 Afghan soldiers and 1,600 police officers in Uruzgan. Four years ago, the region was practically ruled by fundamentalist Islamic groups, the Telegraaf reported.
It has been a ‘difficult, complex and challenging mission,’ involving ‘hard work and sometimes hard fighting,’ Van Uhm told reporters.
Civilian projects
In total 24 Dutch soldiers were killed and 140 injured during the four year Dutch mission. Some 20,000 soldiers have served in the region.
The Netherlands will remain active in the region with a number of civilian projects aimed at developing education and health services, the Telegraaf said.
The Dutch government collapsed in February over Labour’s refusal to comply with a UN request for a further extension to the Dutch mission.