The Dutch coalition government collapsed Saturday after sixteen hours of debate over whether to extend the country's military mission in Afghanistan.

The Netherlands was set to withdraw all its troops in August but NATO had asked the country to keep its force in Afghanistan beyond this year's deadline. In his first statement to announce dissolution of the Parliament, Dutch Christian Democrat Prime Minister, Jan Peter Balkenende said he would visit her majesty Queen Beatrix to submit the resignations of the ministers and deputy ministers of the Labour Party.

In the meantime, a Pakistani air strike killed 30 Islamist militants in Al Qaeda hide out.

"As the leader of the cabinet, I came to the conclusion that there is no common road for this coalition government to go further."