The Dutch contribution to the International Conference on Former Yugoslavia mission (ICFY)

At the end of September 1994, the Dutch government decided to provide the observer mission with 9 people:

  • 3 military personnel (no military personnel were deployed from April to June 1995);
  • 3 customs officials;
  • and 3 officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Military personnel control the border

The Ministry of Finance coordinated the Dutch contribution to the operation. The 3 service personnel from the navy, army and air force left on 10 October. Dutch personnel controlled the border on the Serb-Montenegrin side. The whole border was divided into 5 sectors, each of which contained a number of crossing points controlled by static observation posts. Mobile observer teams operated in the areas between the border crossing points.

The lifting of the sanctions against the Bosnian Serbs on 27 February 1996 signified the end of the ICFY mission and the last of the Dutch military personnel returned home on 30 March 1996.