German parliament approves military campaign against IS in Syria

Germany's lower house of parliament has approved government plans to join the military campaign against Islamic State in Syria.

A 'Tornado' aircraft ' of the German Air Force photographed at the airbase in Jagel, Germany

A 'Tornado' aircraft ' of the German Air Force photographed at the airbase in Jagel, Germany Source: AAP

Of the 598 lawmakers who took part in the vote, 445 voted for, 146 against and seven abstained.


The mission will include sending six Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate to help protect the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, refueling aircraft and up to 1,200 military personnel. Germany will not join countries like Britain, France, the United States and Russia in conducting airstrikes. 

German reconnaissance planes will soon arrive in Turkey's Incirlik air base to support the U.S.-led coalition's fight against Islamic State, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday.

Speaking to reporters after a trip to Azerbaijan, Davutoglu also said the government was considering structural measures to compensate for the economic impact of Russian sanctions and that it could support affected companies in sectors including tourism and agriculture.

Turkey, which has been seeking to diversify its sources of imported energy to decrease its dependence on Russia, may buy more than the planned 6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) from Azerbaijan, Davutoglu also said.

US-led air strikes hit Islamic State oil production in Syria

Meanwhile, the US-led coalition carried out 26 air strikes against Islamic State militants on Thursday, targeting oil production in Syria and supporting the Iraqi effort to retake the city of Ramadi, the military said in a statement on Friday.

Coalition aircraft carried out two strikes against an oil field well head near Abu Kamal, Syria, and six strikes against an oil and gas separation plant near Dayr az Zawr, Syria, the statement by the coalition said.

They also carried out a dozen air strikes against Islamic State tactical units in two other Syrian cities on an unusual day when strikes in Syria exceeded those in Iraq. That has happened only twice before since mid-September.

Coalition aircraft carried out six strikes in Iraq, including four against Islamic State tactical units near Ramadi, which Iraqi ground forces are working to free from militant control. The strikes destroyed machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons, the statement said. 


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Source: Reuters


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