Son of Dutch armed forces commander killed in Afghanistan

The son of the Dutch armed forces commander was killed by roadside bomb

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Friday, 18, Apr 2008 11:59

The son of the Dutch armed forces commander has been killed in Afghanistan.

Lieutenant Dennis van Uhm, 23, was killed by a roadside bomb in the Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan today.

Lt van Uhm's father, General Peter van Uhm, took over overall command of Dutch forces on Thursday.

His son was among two Nato soldiers killed in the blast today. Another two soldiers are believed to have been wounded.

Dutch military sources said that the troops had been returning to their base when the vehicle they were travelling in was struck by the bomb.

Military spokesman Lieutenant General Freek Meulman said that it was unlikely Lt van Uhm had been directly targeted by Taliban insurgents,

"There is no reason to believe that the roadside bomb attack was directed at Lt. Van Uhm," he said.

The deaths bring the number of Dutch soldiers killed, since the Netherlands started providing troops to Nato in 2006, to 16.