Deserters abandoned Afghan protectors, forfeiting their safety and wellbeing.

In the heart of the Afghan conflict, the Afghan Security Guards (ASG) played a pivotal role as the first line of defence for Dutch troops. These locally recruited personnel were stationed on Rollercoaster Hill 24/7, ensuring the safety of Dutch troops crossing the Helmand river, and defended the hill against regular Taliban attacks at night.

However, the ASG's plight after the withdrawal of Dutch forces has raised significant concerns. The Taliban has been documented to hunt down, kidnap, and torture former ASGs in Kabul, according to Anne-Marie Snels, the leader of the Dutch armed services union AFMP.

Snels, along with D66 senator Paul van Meenen, has vowed to "fight to the bitter end" to reverse the Dutch government's decision. Their efforts have found support in a motion passed by the Dutch senate on November 12.

The Dutch government's own figures show that 168 guards and staff who worked at the Dutch embassy in Kabul stand to have their claims reassessed, with some having disappeared or been killed by the Taliban. The initial refusal to include ASGs on the list of evacuees from Kabul when the embassy was shut down in August 2021 has been met with criticism.

The outgoing defence minister and home affairs minister pledged to reconsider 130 applications that were originally turned down. However, the new right-wing cabinet announced a backtrack on that promise in September, a decision that has been met with anger from the AFMP and could potentially damage the Netherlands' reputation as a security partner.

The British government's resettlement scheme has enabled nearly 25,000 people to move to the UK, while the United States has settled 88,500 Afghans under the Operation Allies Welcome program and issued another 12,000 Special Immigration Visas. Australia, with a population of 27 million, has promised 10,000 humanitarian visas and 5,000 extra visas for family members by the end of 2025, with around one-third of the ASG group already relocating to Australia under that country's humanitarian visa scheme.

The Dutch government's resettlement scheme is expected to bring around 100 Afghans to the Netherlands, according to ministers' claims, despite experts' opinions suggesting it could lead to thousands of applications. This discrepancy has further fueled the controversy surrounding the treatment of the ASG.

Former second in command of one of the Dutch bases in Uruzgan, Ask Hein van Rijckevorsel, has expressed his concern over the situation. He served for five months and witnessed the ASG's bravery firsthand. Nesar Ahmad Naeemi, who led the ASG group in Uruzgan, stated that one of his ex-colleagues was killed 100 metres from his front door.

The three Dutch camps stationed in Uruzgan - Camp Hadrian, Camp Volendam, and Camp Holland - were testaments to the Dutch presence in the region. The fate of the ASG who stood by the Dutch during the long war against the Taliban remains uncertain, sparking calls for further action from the Dutch government.