The 16-page document states that up to 1,200 German soldiers will take part in the mission, "on the basis of the right to collective self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter."
The document states that the Bundeswehr will have a mandate to take part in the anti-Daesh mission until December 31 2016, and that its soldiers will support not only French airstrikes against Daesh (the Islamic State) in Syria, but will also support the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria.
On Thursday German Defense Minister von der Leyen said that Germany will provide up to six Tornado reconnaissance aircraft for the French military to use against Daesh, as well as a frigate to accompany France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, an Airbus 310-304MRTT aerial refueling tanker aircraft, and a reconnaissance satellite.
German troops will provide service support to the planes and ships, rather than being involved in direct military action.
German political scientist Alexander Rahr told Sputnik that by sending the troops, Germany wants to show solidarity with neighboring France, and other countries hurt by terrorism.
"They are doing it for political reasons, to show that they feel solidarity with France and with other Western countries which are endangered by ISIL (Daesh). The Germans also understand that what has happened in Paris can tomorrow happen in Berlin or another German city, so it makes sense to go and fight this common threat," said Rahr.
"The majority of Germans are in favor of that kind of political and military action. They are against German troops on the ground, like in Afghanistan, where a lot of Germans have seen that the result was always nil. But at the same time a lot of people understand that we have to here, as Germans, show solidarity with France, which faced such a big tragedy."
