Two Dutch Marines killed

Two Dutch Marines were killed by insurgents in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan, on 17th April 2010, the Netherlands Defence Ministry has announced. Another Marine was severely wounded in the deadly attack.

The two Marines who died are Corporal Jeroen Houweling (29yo) and Marine Marc Harders (23yo). Both were with the Dutch 1st Marine Corps.  

Corporal Jeroen Houweling (left) and Marine Marc Harders

The latest deaths bring Dutch military casualties in the Afghan conflict to 23 dead. The Netherlands has a force in Afghanistan of about 2,000 troops, who are due to be withdrawn by the end of 2010.