The German parliament backed Friday sending up to 400 German soldiers and a missile-defence system to Turkey to guard against attacks from Syria, reported dpa.
The United States and the Netherlands are also to take part in the mission, which was supported by an overwhelming majority of the lower house of the German parliament, the Bundestag.
The deployment of the troops and the missile defence system was "a purely defensive measure", said Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.
"It is clear that we have to help our partners in NATO and alliance member Turkey to protect themselves against an external threat," he said.