Germany Not to Expand Military Contingent in Anti-ISIL Coalition - Merkel

Germany will not expand its military contingent in coalition fighting Islamic State (ISIL, or Daesh in Arabic) in Syria, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Sunday.

BERLIN (Sputnik) — On Saturday, media reported that US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter called on German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen to bolster the country's military contingent as part of the US-led anti-ISIL coalition.

"I believe that Germany fulfills its part and that we should not currently talk about new questions related to this issue," Merkel told the German broadcaster ZDF in an interview.

On December 4, Germany’s parliament approved a proposal to conduct a military campaign in Syria against Daesh, a group outlawed in a number of countries worldwide, including Russia and the United States.

The mission is expected to involve up to 1,200 German troops and estimated to cost about $141.7 million, with its end set for December 31, 2016.

The US-led international coalition has been carrying out a campaign against Daesh in Syria since 2014.