Konvooi naar de Mirabad-vallei, foto Hans de Vreij

NIOD and NIMH research twenty years of Dutch deployment in Afghanistan

Published on 17 June 2022

The Council of Ministers of the Dutch government has decided to commission the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (NIOD), in cooperation with the Netherlands Military History Institute (NIMH), to conduct an independent, external and scientific study into twenty years of Dutch deployment in Afghanistan.

The study concerns the nature, scope, costs, time period and set objectives of the military, diplomatic and civilian deployment in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021, as well as the limitations, dilemmas and choices made during the implementation on site.

The research assignment has been presented to the House of Representatives by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation and the Minister of Justice and Security.

With this decision, the council of ministers complies with the request of the House of Representatives to commission an independent, external and overarching investigation into the Dutch deployment in, and cooperation with, international partners in Afghanistan. NIOD and NIMH will present their conclusions to the Council of Ministers in a summarising final report. The study is expected to be completed by mid-2026.

Share this page