PRAGUE (AP) — The Czech government on Monday approved a Defense Ministry plan to deploy up to 60 troops as part of France's anti-terror mission in Africa.

The service members will join Operation Barkhane, France's largest overseas military mission.

It has been working to root out Islamic militants roaming the Sahel region. The government said Mali, Niger and Chad approved the Czech deployment. The Czechs will help local troops fight Islamic militants.

The plan to deploy Czech forces in the mission until the end of 2022 still needs parliamentary approval.

The Czechs already have some 120 troops in Mali as a part of an European Union training mission.