Going Dutch: The Netherlands under pressure to bomb Syria
Going Dutch: The Netherlands under pressure to bomb Syria
After Britain's parliament voted to extend air raids, politicians and military leaders in the Netherlands are calling on the government to pay their share in the fight against IS.
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The Netherlands air force might extend its bombing campaign to Syria [AFP]
Pressure is mounting on the Netherlands to join US-led air raids on Islamic State group militants in Syria.
It comes after the UK parliament voted on Wednesday to extend military action to Syria.
Late on Thursday, several Dutch lawmakers called for the country to further its bombing campaign into IS-held Syrian territories.
So far, the Netherlands' government said it would only consider sending jets to bomb Raqqa once "all military and political aspects" had been investigated.
"As far as we are concerned it's high time action is taken against IS in Syria," Raymond de Roon of the far-right Freedom Party told a late-evening meeting of Parliament's Commission for Foreign Affairs.
"It will be good to see a stop being put to IS' Syrian pipeline," added Han ten Broeke, of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy.
The Netherlands has contributed four F-16 jet fighters to the US-led military force.
They have been pounding IS targets in Iraq since October 2014, but Dutch officials said they wouldn't extend strikes to Syria without a UN mandate.
| Read more: UK Syria bombing vote - the online world reacts |
However, Dutch Foreign Minister Bert Koenders said that both France and the United States had asked them to join the coalition's bombing campaigns in Syria.
"The Netherlands is a small country that's been very active in the fight against IS," he said.
"But we can only make that decision once all military and political aspects in Syria have been properly weighed," said Koenders.
Rutte's ruling coalition has been divided over the issue according to media reports, with some MPs strongly in favour of extending military action.
However, Foreign Minister Koenders from the Labour Party had "strong reservations", it is understood.
Pressure is growing on the government to follow the UK's lead and bomb Syria - with top military commander, General Tom Middendorp, also calling for further bombing runs.
"There has been a strong call from the international coalition to deal a blow against IS," Middendorp told politicians on Thursday.
"Bombing IS in Iraq is a bit like treating the symptoms of the disease and not the disease itself."
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