Dutch protesters burn tyres outside military base housing Afghan refugees

European nations are scarmbling to evacuate citizens and Afghan helpers from Kabul.
European nations are scarmbling to evacuate citizens and Afghan helpers from Kabul. Copyright ETAT MAJOR DES ARMEES / AFP
Copyright ETAT MAJOR DES ARMEES / AFP
By Euronews with AP, DPA
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Protesters have burned car tyres outside a military base in the Netherlands where Afghans are being housed after being evacuated from Kabul.

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Dutch police have broken up a protest outside a military base housing evacuated Afghan nationals.

Demonstrators burned car tyres on Tuesday outside the base in the central village of Harskamp, 85 kilometres east of Amsterdam.

Some shouted slogans such as "Our own people first" and "Harskamp belongs to us", Dutch media reported.

Authorities used dog handlers to break up the crowd of 250 people that had gathered in front of the army facility.

But a police spokeswoman said officers did not arrest or hand on-the-spot fines to anybody at the demonstration on Tuesday night.

The protest has been condemned by both Dutch Foreign Minister Sigrid Kaag and Defence Minister Ank Bijleveld.

"It's terrible, these people should watch television sometime to see what is happening in other parts of the world," Bijleveld said.

Hundreds of Afghans have arrived in the Netherlands in recent days after being flown out of Kabul airport. They are being housed in three military bases, including 800 evacuees at the base in Harskamp.

A fourth camp also is being prepared by the army near Nijmegen, the Ministry of Defence has said.

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