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The Netherlands is in the process of withdrawing its soldiers from Iraq, Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said on Sunday evening on the program Café Kockelmann on NPO 1. Around 70 of the 170 Dutch soldiers stuck in Iraq are on their way home.

There are 170 Dutch soldiers in Iraq, participating in a mission aimed at strengthening security and stability in the country since the defeat of the terrorist organization Islamic State in 2019. The Dutch soldiers were soon to be replaced by French soldiers, and 150 were already supposed to have left Iraq.

But the Dutch soldiers got stuck when the airspace was closed due to Israel starting a war with Iran. Concerns for their safety grew after the United States also committed airstrikes on Iran, raising fears that the country would retaliate by attacking Western targets.

About half of the Dutch soldiers whose departure from Iraq had already been planned are now on their way back to the Netherlands, Brekelmans said. The others “may be able to leave a little later,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Dutch armed forces told ANP that 70 soldiers are on their way home.

The NATO summit in The Hague starts with a press conference by NATO leader Mark Rutte on Monday afternoon. The consequences of the measures taken to keep the world leaders safe will be felt throughout the Netherlands in the form of traffic from road closures, border controls, and large parts of the Randstad being harder or even impossible to reach, NU.nl reported.

The heads of government, Foreign Ministers, and Defense Ministers of 45 countries will attend the NATO summit - the largest number of dignitaries to ever visit the Netherlands at the same time.

The first heads of government will arrive at Schiphol Airport on Monday, with some more arriving on Tuesday morning. The Polderbaan runway has been reserved for their use and will function as a separate airport during the summit. The government leaders’ planes will also be parked around the runway.

The entire area wedged between Schiphol, Hoofddorp, Vijfhuizen, and Badhoevedorp will be off-limits for anyone who has no business there for the duration of the summit. The A5 highway, which crosses this area, is also closed.

Some world leaders will travel from Schiphol to The Hague by road. During these transports, roads will be closed to keep them safe. That could cause traffic chaos in the entire western Randstad throughout Monday and on Tuesday morning.

After Rutte’s press conference to open the summit at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, Defense Ministers will meet with experts from the defense industry during the day on Tuesday, and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs will discuss Ukraine in the evening. King Willem-Alexander has invited the world leaders, including the leaders of Ukraine, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea, to dine with him and Queen Maxima on Tuesday evening.

The main meeting, the North Atlantic Council, will happen on Wednesday, after which the summit will close with press conferences by Rutte, the Dutch government, and several other NATO allies. The dignitaries will then leave for Schiphol, again closing many roads in the region between The Hague and the airport.

In addition to the road and area closures, air defenses are active on land, at sea, and in the air. The Hague police have already intercepted multiple drones.

Existing owner-occupied homes were 9.7 percent more expensive in May than in the same month last year, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) and the Land Registry reported. The average home cost 471,875 euros last month.

The price increase was slightly less than in April, when an existing owner-occupied home became over 10 percent more expensive annually. Compared to that month, prices were 0.6 percent higher in May.

Home prices peaked in July 2022. They then fell a bit, only to rise again from June 2023. According to CBS, prices are now an average of 11.7 percent higher than during the peak in July 2022.

The rising home prices are partly due to demand being much greater than the tight supply. The falling mortgage interest rate and rising incomes also played a role, making it possible for people to spend more.

The Land Registry reported that 19,614 homes changed owners in May. That is 11.5 percent more than a year earlier. In the first five months of this year, there were 90,003 housing transactions, an increase of 16 percent on an annual basis.

CBS reported earlier this month that existing owner-occupied homes became more expensive in almost all Dutch municipalities in the first quarter of this year. Prices rose most in Bunnik from January to March, by 19.8 percent. Waddinxveen (18.7 percent) followed, then Gouda (18 percent). Home prices only fell in the municipalities of Texel and Vught.

A massive fire broke out just before midnight at a Cosis care facility on Hoofdweg in Peest, forcing the evacuation of 18 residents from a residential work farm for people with intellectual disabilities, RTV Drenthe reported. The blaze completely destroyed a large thatched-roof barn on the property and triggered a regional emergency response.

The barn, part of the Cosis care complex, was fully engulfed in flames when emergency services arrived. “The flames were shooting meters into the air. The entire building was on fire,” Edwin Veldman of Veiligheidsregio Drenthe told RTV Drenthe.

Due to the severity of the situation and the risk of the fire spreading to the main residential building, authorities escalated the response to a Grip 1 incident. “We declared Grip 1 to start the evacuation as quickly as possible, since there was a risk the fire could spread to the main building where the clients live,” said Veldman.

Fire crews from multiple towns were deployed to contain the blaze. While the barn was lost, firefighters succeeded in preventing the fire from reaching the adjacent housing units.

The 18 evacuated residents, who live and work at the care farm, were safely removed from the premises and transported by bus to a shelter in Roden. Some residents also stayed with family. The facility includes 17 client apartments as part of the care program operated by Cosis.

“All clients and staff have been brought to safety. They were never in danger and are now being cared for elsewhere. All relatives have been informed,” a Cosis spokesperson said.

The organization praised the swift actions of staff and emergency responders. “The fire has had a major impact on the clients and everyone involved. In the coming days, we will assess what support and counseling are needed.” The cause of the fire remains unknown.

The Festival op de Ring, held Saturday on a section of the A10 highway to celebrate Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary, drew an estimated 200,000 visitors and concluded without major incidents, organizers said. The highway was closed for the event, allowing visitors to run 3.5 kilometers, attend concerts, and even witness multiple weddings, NOS reports.

Crowds increased significantly after the evening program began, particularly at A10-Zuid, where several stages, including Audio Obscura, were located. According to a spokesperson, “It was busy but manageable,” though the rising density in some areas forced temporary closures and adjustments. Music at Audio Obscura was paused, and people climbed over fences and guardrails as entrances were shut off. Others attempted to avoid the crowd entirely by entering or exiting the event site over barriers.

At the same time, rail traffic between Amsterdam-Zuid and Duivendrecht was suspended for roughly 45 minutes after festivalgoers were spotted walking on the tracks near Amsterdam RAI. Dutch Railways (NS) confirmed the people on the tracks were attendees “trying to find a smarter route.” The adjacent metro line, operated by GVB, was also disrupted due to the crowd.

Visitor reactions varied widely. One attendee told AT5 the atmosphere was “comfortably busy." Another described it to NOS as “terrible,” saying, “There’s barely any shade and we can’t breathe. We want to leave, but it’s too crowded at the exit.”

Security staff raised concerns earlier in the evening, with Het Parool reporting that dozens of people were climbing fences. AT5 also received messages that people were scaling barriers to escape the crowds, not just to get in.

The music at Audio Obscura resumed at 9:30 p.m. following police consultation and the implementation of extra safety measures. However, some attendees had already left by then. “I don’t think it’s going to happen anymore, so I’m heading out,” one visitor told AT5 moments before the music returned.

The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a formal warning to Dutch citizens currently in Iran and other parts of the Middle East, citing the heightened risk of escalation following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The advisory follows rising tensions between Israel and Iran.

People in Iran, Iraq, Israel, and the Palestinian territories have been urged to avoid crowded places and possible targets. The warning was distributed through the Ministry’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.

Dutch nationals currently in conflict zones are advised to keep their relatives and friends informed about their safety and whereabouts. In case of emergency, they can contact the Netherlands Worldwide contact center for assistance.

The Ministry is also calling on all Dutch nationals in the region to register with its information service to receive timely updates about the evolving situation. This includes travelers who may be attempting to leave Iran, Iraq, Israel, or the West Bank but are unable to do so.

Officials emphasized that citizens facing difficulties in departing the region should notify the Ministry through the registration service to receive potential support.