Germany Sends Troops to Mali

For training purposes

Germany's cabinet agreed on Tuesday to send up to 330 armed military personnel to Mali to train its troops and provide logistics and transport for French and West African soldiers fighting Islamist rebels.

The German mission, which still needs the approval of the Bundestag lower house of parliament, would not be allowed to take part in any fighting, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement.

France sent military forces to Mali in January to halt a push by rebels linked to al Qaeda that Western powers feared could turn the West African country into a springboard for further attacks.