Nine Dutch citizens have been added to the country's national terrorism list, bringing the total to 124, among which 28 are women, the foreign ministry announced Thursday.

"The measure is being applied to Dutch nationals who join terrorist groups, mainly people who travel to Syria and Iraq," stated Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders. "It is good we take these measures, because these people contribute to the ruthless violence in that region. Furthermore, they pose a potential risk after returning to Dutch society."

The national terrorism list is publicly available. The individuals and organizations on the list have their assets freezed, meaning they are unable to withdraw money from their bank accounts or use their credit cards. Moreover, it is punishable for others to financially provide for them, for example, by transferring money to them.

Six of the newly-added people to the list are women. A report published by the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) last year stated that women who travel to Islamic State (IS) territory are expected to actively commit to the terrorist organization, primarily by getting married quickly and having children. They may also recruit new women, work as teacher or nurse, or perform logistic duties. Either way, they take part in supporting IS, the report concluded.

The ministries of foreign affairs, of security and justice, and of finance jointly decide whom to add to the list, based on information provided by the Public Prosecution Service (OM) and the AIVD.

Up to June 2017, a total of around 280 people left the Netherlands with jihadist intentions. Of them, approximately 190 are still in Syria and Iraq, 45 have died and around 50 have returned. Since the beginning of 2016, the number of Dutch people traveling to those countries is decreasing, according to the Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV).