The Netherlands is in talks with its allies in the coalition taking action against IS in Iraq on extending its role, the Volkskrant reports on Friday.

The Netherlands is currently involved in bombing missions over Iraq and has a team of 350 people training local soldiers. The Dutch role in the region is due to end in October.

Defence minister Jeanne Hennis, who has been visiting Dutch troops in Iraq for the past two days, has been involved in behind the scenes talks on extending the mission, the Volkskrant says.

This could also include the green light to take an active role in Syria, the paper says. This, it said, is notable because the Netherlands has always insisted there be an international mandate for direct intervention in Syria.

Summer

A spokesman for the minister told news agency ANP that talks have taken place but that any decision is up to the cabinet as a whole.

Hennis described the battle against IS as a ‘long term process’. ‘We have to look seriously at what the coalition needs to do to further drive back IS,’ she told the Volkskrant.

Asked if this meant the mission would be extended, the minister said: ‘There will be more clarity this summer.’