News / Germany

Berlin dismisses US request for more military aid against Daesh

Monday, 14 December 2015 5:47 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 14 December 2015 7:36 AM ]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Photo by AFP)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has dismissed a request from the United States to provide more military assistance in the fight against the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group in Iraq and Syria.

“I believe Germany is fulfilling its part and we don’t need to talk about new issues related to this question at the moment,” Merkel said on Sunday.

She made the remarks to the ZDF broadcaster on Sunday, when asked about a report which was published by the Der Spiegel weekly news magazine on Saturday. According to Der Spiegel, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter sent a letter, asking for a bigger military contribution by Germany, a week after the parliament in Berlin approved a plan to join the US-led coalition allegedly targeting Daesh in Syria.

A German Defense Ministry spokesman confirmed a letter had been received from the United States, but provided no details about its content. The German magazine, however, said similar requests had been sent to other US partners in the so-called US-led coalition against Daesh.

Since late September 2014, the US and its allies have been carrying out airstrikes purportedly against Daesh positions in Syria. The attacks have widely been criticized as ineffective, with Russia describing them as "sparing" and Syria saying the militants have grown in power since the launch of the raids.

A file photo of German Tornado reconnaissance jet

The German mission in the coalition currently includes six Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate to protect the French aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle, refueling aircraft and up to 1,200 troops. Germany, however, does not have any plans to conduct air raids in Syria.

The deployment was made in direct response to a French request for solidarity after last month's terror attacks which killed 130 people in Paris. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attacks.

In the aftermath of the attacks, France has launched massive air assaults against Daesh and deployed its Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

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