The UK is to deploy about 350 military personnel to Mali and West Africa to support French forces, No 10 has said.
This includes as many as 40 military advisers who will train soldiers in Mali and 200 British soldiers to be sent to neighbouring African countries, also to help train the Malian army.
French-led forces are continuing their offensive against Islamist militants who seized northern Mali last year.
International donors have pledged $455.53m (£289m) to tackle militants.
The pledges - for aid projects and the African-led Afisma force that is expected to take over from French troops in the country - represent about half the figure African leaders had requested.
Meanwhile, French-led troops are consolidating their position in the historic Malian city of Timbuktu after seizing it from Islamist extremists. They are then expected to focus on the last rebel stronghold, Kidal.
Another conference taking place in Brussels is expected to decide which countries will contribute troops for an EU military training mission for Mali and discuss details of the mission.'What we can'
The UK had already said it would contribute to the training mission and has now promised to deploy about 350 British military personnel to Mali and West Africa in a supporting role for French forces.
Detailing the the "extended support" in the UK's House of Commons, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said it would:
Offer the continued deployment of C17 transport plane for three months and an RAF Sentinel surveillance aircraft
Allow the US - which has been involved in airlifting French soldiers and equipment to Mali - to operate air refuelling flights out of Britain
Offer a roll-on, roll-off Merchant Navy ferry to help transport equipment to the French force in Mali. It would dock at a port in a West African state to enable the kit to be moved across land to Mali
Provide £5m to assist in the training of West African forces
Downing Street has repeatedly insisted there is no question of British units getting involved in fighting - but the UK Labour party has called for further clarity on what part the UK might take in the French-led mission.
The UK also offered to set up a combined joint logistics HQ in Mali, however so far the French have declined this offer.
A Number 10 spokesman said the UK government was doing what it could to support the French military intervention, "contributing to both Malian training and training forces that are involved in providing a regionally-led approach".
The BBC's Norman Smith says the British team of 40 military advisers is expected to be sent to Mali "fairly urgently".
Number 10 is also considering who will provide "force protection" for the military advisers.
At present, it is envisaged the force protection will not be provided by British soldiers. It is possible existing French forces in Mali could be used.
Prime Minister David Cameron has assured French President Francois Hollande that Britain is "keen" to help Paris with its military mission.
The RAF has already provided two C17 transport planes and a Sentinel surveillance aircraft to assist France's operation.
Meanwhile, the UK's national security adviser, Sir Kim Darroch, was in Paris on Monday to discuss what further help the UK could provide to France's operation to drive Islamist militants from its former colony.
Mr Cameron has said the UK is ready to offer logistical, intelligence and surveillance help to France.
The French and Malian military said troops encountered little resistance when they entered the historic city of Timbuktu. They seized Gao, northern Mali's biggest city, on Saturday.
Islamist militants took the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month.
Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said it was important the UK supported the mission in Mali, but said:
"We have to be very clear about how long we intend to be there [and] what it is we're seeking to achieve, so that the public, who are wary and weary after Iraq and Afghanistan, don't say 'Oh not again'," he said.
Military analyst Col Mike Dewar said the initial UK support was short-term but its latest offer of help constituted a "much more long-term plan".
It could take "years" for the British troops to make a difference to the "ill-trained" Malian army, he said.
Prof Michael Clarke, a director of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said the British involvement was a "politically important" gesture to illustrate Anglo-French military co-operation.
He said he could not discern a clear strategy at the moment in Mali, but he added: "That is understandable. In Libya we went in for humanitarian reasons and then a strategy evolved. That is what the French did, they went in initially for humanitarian reasons.
"I suspect the strategy [in Mali] will be to guarantee the cities are safe so that Islamists are kicked out and then let time do its work."
The former head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, backed the government's position but warned that nations involved may face a "protracted guerrilla warfare".
"It doesn't really surprise me that the British government feels it needs to be seen to be helping," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
"We cannot let states fail because we know from recent history that failed states just lead to really difficult circumstances, instability."
Source : BBC
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This includes as many as 40 military advisers who will train soldiers in Mali and 200 British soldiers to be sent to neighbouring African countries, also to help train the Malian army.
French-led forces are continuing their offensive against Islamist militants who seized northern Mali last year.
International donors have pledged $455.53m (£289m) to tackle militants.
The pledges - for aid projects and the African-led Afisma force that is expected to take over from French troops in the country - represent about half the figure African leaders had requested.
Meanwhile, French-led troops are consolidating their position in the historic Malian city of Timbuktu after seizing it from Islamist extremists. They are then expected to focus on the last rebel stronghold, Kidal.
Another conference taking place in Brussels is expected to decide which countries will contribute troops for an EU military training mission for Mali and discuss details of the mission.'What we can'
The UK had already said it would contribute to the training mission and has now promised to deploy about 350 British military personnel to Mali and West Africa in a supporting role for French forces.
Detailing the the "extended support" in the UK's House of Commons, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said it would:
Offer the continued deployment of C17 transport plane for three months and an RAF Sentinel surveillance aircraft
Allow the US - which has been involved in airlifting French soldiers and equipment to Mali - to operate air refuelling flights out of Britain
Offer a roll-on, roll-off Merchant Navy ferry to help transport equipment to the French force in Mali. It would dock at a port in a West African state to enable the kit to be moved across land to Mali
Provide £5m to assist in the training of West African forces
Downing Street has repeatedly insisted there is no question of British units getting involved in fighting - but the UK Labour party has called for further clarity on what part the UK might take in the French-led mission.
The UK also offered to set up a combined joint logistics HQ in Mali, however so far the French have declined this offer.
A Number 10 spokesman said the UK government was doing what it could to support the French military intervention, "contributing to both Malian training and training forces that are involved in providing a regionally-led approach".
The BBC's Norman Smith says the British team of 40 military advisers is expected to be sent to Mali "fairly urgently".
Number 10 is also considering who will provide "force protection" for the military advisers.
At present, it is envisaged the force protection will not be provided by British soldiers. It is possible existing French forces in Mali could be used.
Prime Minister David Cameron has assured French President Francois Hollande that Britain is "keen" to help Paris with its military mission.
The RAF has already provided two C17 transport planes and a Sentinel surveillance aircraft to assist France's operation.
Meanwhile, the UK's national security adviser, Sir Kim Darroch, was in Paris on Monday to discuss what further help the UK could provide to France's operation to drive Islamist militants from its former colony.
Mr Cameron has said the UK is ready to offer logistical, intelligence and surveillance help to France.
The French and Malian military said troops encountered little resistance when they entered the historic city of Timbuktu. They seized Gao, northern Mali's biggest city, on Saturday.
Islamist militants took the north of the country last year, but have been losing ground since French forces launched an operation earlier this month.
Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said it was important the UK supported the mission in Mali, but said:
"We have to be very clear about how long we intend to be there [and] what it is we're seeking to achieve, so that the public, who are wary and weary after Iraq and Afghanistan, don't say 'Oh not again'," he said.
Military analyst Col Mike Dewar said the initial UK support was short-term but its latest offer of help constituted a "much more long-term plan".
It could take "years" for the British troops to make a difference to the "ill-trained" Malian army, he said.
Prof Michael Clarke, a director of the Royal United Services Institute think-tank, said the British involvement was a "politically important" gesture to illustrate Anglo-French military co-operation.
He said he could not discern a clear strategy at the moment in Mali, but he added: "That is understandable. In Libya we went in for humanitarian reasons and then a strategy evolved. That is what the French did, they went in initially for humanitarian reasons.
"I suspect the strategy [in Mali] will be to guarantee the cities are safe so that Islamists are kicked out and then let time do its work."
The former head of the Army, General Sir Mike Jackson, backed the government's position but warned that nations involved may face a "protracted guerrilla warfare".
"It doesn't really surprise me that the British government feels it needs to be seen to be helping," he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
"We cannot let states fail because we know from recent history that failed states just lead to really difficult circumstances, instability."
Source : BBC
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