German government announced on Tuesday to provide additional funds and equipments to support Mali for its battle against rebels from the north.

German government said it would contribute an additional 20 million US dollars into a United Nation fund for supporting Malian army. A field hospital, trucks, hand-held metal detectors and other equipments would also be provided.

"We will support the activities for the liberation of Mali, with financial, logistical, humanitarian aid, as well as equipment and know how to train the Malian army," said German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in Berlin.

According to German Foreign Ministry, around 21 million US dollars has been provided by Germany as humanitarian assistance to Mali since December 2011.

Earlier this month, two German transport planes were sent to Mali to support armies from Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) member states. For this month, about 3 million US dollars would be spent, said the Foreign Ministry in a statement, adding that Germany would also attend an European Union training mission in Mali scheduled to start in February with military personnel and equipments.

As soldiers from its neighboring France fighting along with Malian army against rebels from the north, Germany had been refusing to send combat troops to the Western African country.

Germany still has thousands of soldiers in Afghanistan, whereas French troops have already been withdrawn. "It is thus obvious that the options open to us are limited," said Westerwelle last week.

On Tuesday, the minister stressed that "in the long term, there can only be a political solution" to Mali's problem.