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Germany is planning to send 1,200 soldiers to Syria to support the international fight against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil), in what would be its largest current overseas military deployment, its army chief has said.

The planned German military involvement in response to France’s call for more countries to help fight the militants after the Paris attacks would see troops provide service support to ships and reconnaissance planes, but would not include direct combat.

The plan still needs approval from parliament, with the government seeking a mandate before the end of the year, said Volker Wieker, chief of staff of the German army.

He added that troops would be sent to Syria quickly once parliament had approved a mandate for the operation, meaning soldiers could be deployed as soon as the end of this year. It is yet to be decided how long German military involvement will last.

"From a military point of view, some 1,200 soldiers are expected to be needed to operate the planes and ships," Mr Wieker, Germany's highest-ranking soldier, told newspaper Bild am Sonntag.

The German air force would provide four to six Tornado jets for reconnaissance that could be stationed at two locations, with talks under way with Jordan and Turkey about using the airbases in Incirlik and Amman, said Mr Wieker.

A German frigate would also accompany France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, whose planes will refuel the jets of coalition, he said.

However, Mr Wieker said he did not believe German participation in current US-led air strikes against Isil was necessary at the moment.

"What makes sense militarily is what is necessary," he said. "In this case, that is our ability to carry out reconnaissance."
Post-war Germany has traditionally been reluctant to send its forces overseas except for peace missions, due partly to memories of Nazi aggressions.

The German government announced on Thursday that it would make available Tornado reconnaissance planes and a frigate for the fight against Isil following deadly jihadist attacks in Paris on November 13 that claimed 130 lives.

German chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to support France’s fight against Isil comes amid falling support for her leadership back home, however, with 48 per cent of Germans saying they are against her seeking a fourth term as chancellor in 2017, according to a poll for Bild am Sonntag on Sunday.

Tensions over the refugee crisis in Germany remain high, as the country struggles to find accommodation in increasingly icy temperatures for the one million asylum seekers expected by the end of this year.