German MPs vote for anti-ISIS military mission
Bundestag authorises Merkel government to deploy 1,200 personnel and reconnaissance jets to support anti-ISIS fight
Berlin expects to commit between four and six Tornado jets but will not take part in air strikes in Syria
Germany's parliament has approved Chancellor Angela Merkel's plan to join the military mission in Syria aimed at defeating ISIS.
MPs approved the plan for a German non-combat role by 445 votes to 146.
Germany will send six Tornado reconnaissance jets and a refuelling aircraft to back up the international anti-ISIL coalition, but its military will not conduct air strikes.
The vote comes after a French request following last month's Paris attacks. Ministers believe Germany is now an IS target too.
On Thursday, British warplanes carried out their first air strikes on IS targets in Syria after the country's parliament authorised the military operation.
This will be Germany's biggest current military operation abroad. The mandate will initially last a year and will cost €134 million.
The opposition hard-left Die Linke as well as members of the environmental Greens had signalled their intention to vote against the military mission.
A majority of Germans back the government's plans to support France and other allies to defeat ISIS, according to a poll released on Thursday by the state broadcaster ARD.
While 58% of those surveyed in the poll said they agreed that Germany should offer military support in the campaign against ISIS, 37% were opposed.
