Insurgents attack Dutch embassy in Iraq

30 January 2004

AMSTERDAM — The Dutch embassy in Baghdad was reported to be on fire on Friday evening (Dutch time) following an attack.

The building was empty at the time and no one was injured, a spokeswoman for the Dutch Foreign Ministry in The Hague told Dutch news agency ANP. The back of the building was hit by two rockets, she said.

Some 1,100 Dutch marines are stationed in the thinly-populated province of Al Muthanna in southern Iraq.

Last year, Iraqi police said they had foiled an attack on the marines’ base. There have been no other attacks by insurgents directed against the Dutch contingent.

Subject: Dutch news + Iraq