Germany approves troops for Mali mission

Berlin, Feb 19 (AFP) The German government today said that it had approved sending up to 330 soldiers to help train the Malian army and support the French deployment in its battle against Islamists. Up to 180 German soldiers have been earmarked for the European Union Training Mission (EUTM), formally approved by EU foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday. Forty of the German contingent will train up Malian forces. A further 40 will act as medical support staff, according to a government statement. The other 100 will be available to provide logistical support, dealing with water and energy supplies, making Germany the second biggest contributor to the EUTM mission behind France, according to European sources. Germany will make another 150 soldiers available to back up the French army in Mali via air transport for French and African troops and help in the refuelling of planes. Combat troops will not be sent to Mali. The German Bundestag lower house of parliament must vote on the deployment on Friday. Germany has already sent two Transall military transport aircraft to Mali, and put a third on standby. The EUTM has a 15-month mandate to shake up the ramshackle Malian army in its effort to fight Islamist rebels who last year seized control of the country's vast arid north. The 27 EU nations first approved the idea of a training mission in December but its deployment was accelerated after the surprise intervention of France in its former colony on January 11 to halt the insurgents' march on the capital. Some 16 countries from the EU as well as Norway have agreed to take part in the EUTM, which will have a budget of USD 16.4 million. (AFP) PY 02191740 NNNN