Germany mulls sending up to 1200 troops on Syria mission

The mandate, which requires parliamentary approval, was endorsed by ministers Tuesday.

Germany may broaden its military mission against Islamic State beyond Syria, draft proposals under consideration by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition show.

In total, Germany plans to send up to 1,200 troops to support the worldwide alliance in its anti-terror actions.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the Bild daily that Berlin had looked at the military requirements and taken its own political responsibility into account in deciding on the scale of the deployment.

Within the German population, support for the mission is relatively high: 45 percent are for it, 39 percent are against, the poll revealed.

“From a military point of view for the servicing of the planes and ships, about 1,200 soldiers would be necessary”, Wieker told the newspaper.

More than one million Syrian refugees are expected to enter Germany in the next year.

Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen sought to reassure voters, saying that Germany had not been drawn into war against its will but had taken a conscious decision to get involved.

The vote came as Hollande and German Chanellor Angela Merkel discussed how to combat the group that has spread its violence beyond Syria to Europe and North Africa. “Against an opponent like IS we need plenty of stamina”.

Berlin plans to commit four to six Tornado jets mainly to provide intelligence support, as well as a frigate to help protect France’s Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier stationed in the Mediterranean.

The opposition hard left Die Linke party and the environmentalist Greens have both sharply criticised the German military in Syria.

The inquiry of the future of Assad has been bracketed out of present global discussions on a political solution to the battle in Syria. On Wednesday, Germany announced it would deploy 650 more troops to Mali to relieve the France mission there.

Britain’s parliament will also vote this week on joining air strikes on Syria.

The Federal Government wants to send up to 1200 against soldiers in the fight IS.