Germany declines US request for ground troops in Syria

Berlin said on Monday it had no plans to send ground troops to Syria, refusing a US request for Germany to ramp up its military involvement in the fight against Daesh militants.

"When I say that the government intends to continue with its ongoing measures in the framework of the anti-IS [Daesh] coalition, then that means no ground troops," said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert.

On Sunday, US special representative on Syria James Jeffrey told German media, including the Die Welt newspaper, that Washington wants Berlin to put boots on the ground in northern Syria.

Jeffrey, who was visiting Berlin for Syria talks, added that he expects an answer this month.

Germany's mandate in coalition 

The mandate for Germany's participation in Syria runs out on October 31, meaning that parliament would be called on to decide what to do beyond that date.

Seibert noted that Germany has "for years been making a significant and internationally acknowledged contribution" to fighting the Daesh militants.

Berlin is now in talks with the US on "how the engagement should develop further," he added.

Washington has two goals in north-eastern Syria: to support the US-backed and YPG-dominated SDF militants that expelled Daesh from northern Syria and to prevent a potential Daesh resurgence in the war-torn country.

The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the PKK terrorist organisation. 

In PKK's 30-year terror campaign against the Turkish state more than 40,000 people, including women and children, have been killed.

The activities of the YPG-led SDF have been a major security concern for Ankara, while the US viewed the group as a "reliable partner" in the fight against Daesh.

The US is hoping Europe will help, pressuring Britain, France and now Germany, which has so far deployed surveillance aircraft and other non-combat military support in Syria.

Controversial foreign adventures 

Germany's history makes military spending and foreign adventures controversial.

Berlin sent soldiers to fight abroad for the first time since World War II in 1994, and much of the political spectrum and the public remains suspicious of such deployments.

Besides Chancellor Angela Merkel's junior coalition partner SPD, the ecologist Greens, liberal Free Democrats and Left party have all urged the veteran leader to turn down the US request for troops.