BRUSSELS, March 14 (Xinhua) -- The Netherlands is to send 76 commandos and marines to the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan in April, Radio Netherlands reported.

    The Dutch Foreign Ministry and the Defense Ministry told the parliament in a letter on Friday that the troops were needed to gather intelligence and to arrest Taliban leaders.

    Since the end of 2007, there have been no Dutch commandos or marines in Afghanistan. However, the letter said, as elections in the country approach, their presence is now urgently required.

    The arrival of the 76 soldiers, together with reinforcements for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), will bring the total number of Dutch troops in Afghanistan to almost 2,000, Radio Netherlands said.

    The Netherlands deployed troops in the south of Afghanistan in August 2006 and the mission expires by the end of 2010. The Netherlands is under pressure from the United States and some other NATO allies to remain in the country after 2010.

    The Netherlands will host an international conference on the future of Afghanistan on March 31 in The Hague, when government ministers and representatives of international bodies will discuss Afghanistan's administration, security and future development.