Germany to support French mission in Mali

BERLIN - Germany will offer logistic, medical or humanitarian support as French forces carried out air strikes for the fourth consecutive day against Islamist extremists in Mali, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday.

Germany's military will provide support including cargo planes and medical assistance, Andreas Peschke said at a news conference. The German government has agreed to talk with France on how to support French actions without sending combat troops.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere praised the French mission on a radio program on Monday, saying that the French intervention was "decisive, correct and deserves our support."

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Sunday called for a political solution to the violence in Mali, but he ruled out Germany's sending combat troops to in the African country, saying that "the involvement of a German fighting force is not up for debate."

In the past days, there was fierce fighting between Islamist rebels and the Malian army. France announced last Friday a sudden military intervention within U.N. resolution in the West African country to respond to Mali's request for military assistance to counter rebel groups' offensive.