3 Dutch Marines Captured in Sirte

Burnt

BBC News wrote:

Three Dutch marines captured during rescue in Libya

Talks are under way to free three Dutch marines captured in Libya as they tried to evacuate foreign citizens, the Netherlands' defence ministry says.

The three landed by helicopter near the port of Sirte on Sunday, flying in from the Dutch warship Tromp, which is anchored off the Libyan coast.

"Intensive negotiations" were under way, a ministry spokesman said.

The ministry was in contact with the marines who were "doing well under the circumstances", he added.

"We hope they will be released as quickly as possible," Otte Beeksma told the Associated Press news agency.

Asked if the Dutch government considered the marines hostages, he replied: "They are being held by Libyan authorities."

Two people the marines were trying to rescue - one Dutch person and another European - were captured but have since been released and have left Libya, Dutch media say.

"It was a consular evacuation," Mr Beeksma added.

"During the operation the helicopter was grounded by an armed unit."

The Tromp, which was initially to have taken part in an anti-piracy operation off Somalia, headed for the Libyan coast on 24 February.

The port city of Sirte is considered the main remaining stronghold of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in the centre of the country, as he struggles with a spreading revolt against his rule.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12633415

PatsytheNazi

Burnt wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12633415

I suppose it was inevitable. Glad to see the Dutch marines had the discipline to not start a shooting match with Gaddafi's trigger happy militia.

BlaasForRafa

PatsytheNazi wrote: »

I suppose it was inevitable. Glad to see the Dutch marines had the discipline to not start a shooting match with Gaddafi's trigger happy militia.

Like the dutch in Srebernica they probably folded without a fight.

In any case they should have gone in there with the capability to fight their way out.

Stovepipe

Blaas,
You're out of order. The events in Srebrenica occurred because the Dutch, like everybody else, had a chain of command that didn't stop til it reached the Hague. The Dutch, as a matter of fact, were willing to shoot at Serbs and did so with 155mm artillery on one occasion.
In reality, what would 3 marines do against overwhelming opposition?
regards
Stovepipe

BlaasForRafa

Stovepipe wrote: »

Blaas,
You're out of order. The events in Srebrenica occurred because the Dutch, like everybody else, had a chain of command that didn't stop til it reached the Hague. The Dutch, as a matter of fact, were willing to shoot at Serbs and did so with 155mm artillery on one occasion.
In reality, what would 3 marines do against overwhelming opposition?
regards
Stovepipe

I'm not one bit out of order. The 400 dutch troops at Srebrenica may have been put in an invidious position by the UN but they had a duty to protect the civilians which they utterly failed to do. They should have fought to the last bullet like the Irish at Jadotville.

In Libya they should have gone in with enough force to fight or not go in at all.

newby.204

blaas i have to ask if you are in? because i would guess you are not, there are protocols involved in UN missions and unfortunately, as has been noted in several areas of the world, unless they themselves were being engaged, soldiers cant just go shooting at people!!

Steyr

Any status on 277??




News footage of the Lynx as broadcast by a Khadafi-loyalist television station

Video: http://nos.nl/artikel/222994-staatstele/ Video is on the right of the link.

xflyer

Surely they are navy aircrew not 'Marines'. Marine means Navy in this context. In any case it's all propaganda. No doubt they'll be released in due course. Let's face it no one thinks the Dutch are invading them.

goldie fish

xflyer wrote: »

Surely they are navy aircrew not 'Marines'. Marine means Navy in this context. In any case it's all propaganda. No doubt they'll be released in due course. Let's face it no one thinks the Dutch are invading them.

What makes you think they aren't marines?

Manic Moran

They are apparently the pilot, co-pilot, and hoist operator/door gunner of HMNlS Tromp's Lynx, and part of the Koninklijke Marine.

It seems that people are picking up on the word "Marine" and translating it to the closest English word, instead of the correct translation of "Navy." Dutch Marines are known as "Mariniers"

NTM