German Armed Forces Take Part in First Mission in Syria

On late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Germany's Airbus A310 aerial refueling jet twice provided in-flight refueling to fighter jets conducting airstrikes against Daesh terrorist positions, according to German media.

BERLIN (Sputnik) —  The German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, took part in their first mission aimed to support the international anti-terrorist operation in Syria, German media reported Wednesday, citing the mission's commander.

On late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Germany's Airbus A310 aerial refueling jet twice provided in-flight refueling to fighter jets conducting airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIL, or Daesh in Arabic) terrorist positions, according to Bild newspaper.

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 coalition of 65 nations has been carrying out airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq since August 2014 and in Syria since September 2014, without the approval of the Syrian government or the UN Security Council.

Russia has also conducted its aerial campaign in Syria against Daesh and other extremist groups, which began on September 30 at the request of the Syrian government. The Russian campaign has reportedly resulted in the destruction of over 3,000 terrorist targets.