The Dutch political party, Green Left, intends to block extending the remit of the police training mission in Afghanistan, reports newspaper de Volkskrant.

A Green Left spokesperson says party leader Jolande Sap does not want Dutch police to train Afghan border officers in the north of country. Ms Sap will also oppose the training of Afghan officers who will operate outside the province of Kunduz, where the present mission is based, by Dutch personnel.

Without the support of Green Left, there is no parliamentary majority to extend the mission's remit. At the end of 2011, Prime Minister Mark Rutte assured NATO forces that he expected an extension would be approved by MPs.

Kunduz divides Green Left
The Dutch mission consists of 545 personnel stationed in Kabul and the northern province of Kunduz, including 225 police trainers and military personnel providing medical and logistical support. Four F16 fighter jets - to locate roadside bombs and boost security on the ground - also fall under Dutch command.

In January 2011, a slim majority of Dutch MPs voted in favour of deploying the police training mission to Afghanistan. Green Left surprised - and deeply angered - some of its supporters by supporting the mission, despite successfully demanding that conservative Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s minority cabinet make certain concessions.

Mr Rutte needed the support of Green Left because Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam Freedom Party (PVV) – on which the government usually depends for a parliamentary majority – opposed the mission.

The decision to send a police mission to Afganistan came nearly a year after the previous coalition government of Christian Democrats and Labour collapsed in a dispute over extending the Dutch military deployment to the war-torn country.

(jn/mw)

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