By Michael Hernandez
WASHINGTON
The U.S. will provide nearly $500 million in additional humanitarian aid to assist those affected by the ongoing conflict in Syria, nearly half of which is earmarked for those within the country.
Of the additional aid announced Friday, $240 million will be used to help those within Syria. More than half of that aid will be distributed through non-governmental organizations.
The remainder of the assistance will be used to assist Syrian refugees and host communities in neighboring countries with those in Lebanon receiving the lion’s share of $103.8 million.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pledged the additional aid during a two-day visit to Turkey. With the announcement, the U.S. would have provided more than $2.9 billion in humanitarian assistance since the conflict began in March 2011.
The U.N. revised its appeals request for Syria in July, asking for $6 billion to address the humanitarian crisis.
www.aa.com.tr/en
