The defence ministry is currently processing 784 claims for physical or mental damage from military personnel, junior defence minister Jack de Vries told MPs on Tuesday.

In total, 148 new claims were made last year, 45 of which related to foreign missions. Eighteen cases refer to working with the toxic weapons cleaner PX-10, the first to be made in the Netherlands, the Telegraaf states.
Most of the total claims relate to foreign missions, mainly in Lebanon and the former Yugoslavia, the paper says.
Last week, the national ombudsman said he would mediate in disputes between former military personnel and the defence ministry about post-traumatic stress.