German parliament set to approve Syrian military mission

Berlin (dpa) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to win parliamentary approval on Friday for her plans to join the military mission in Syria aimed at defeating the terrorist group Islamic State.Germany will send six Tornado reconnaissance jets and a refueling aircraft to back up the international anti-Islamic State coalition, but the German military will not conduct bombing missions.The coalition has stepped up its campaign against the group in the wake of last month‘s deadly terrorist attacks in Paris. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the massacre in which 130 people were killed.The German parliament, the Bundestag, is expected to back Merkel‘s plans by a large majority. Both the opposition hard-left Die Linke as well as members of the environmental Greens are tipped to vote against the military mission.The 134-million-euro (142-million-dollar) year long mission also involves deploying up to 1,200 military personnel as well as a frigate to support the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which Paris has dispatched to the region.