More Humantiarian Aid For Syria

The United States is providing an additional $12.8 million in humanitarian assistance to support the people of Syria who are being attacked and killed by the thousands by their own government. The total amount of U.S. emergency aid now comes to just over $52 million.

U.S. aid continues to reach those affected by the violence though contributions to international and non-governmental humanitarian partners including: $16.5 million to the World Food Program; $14.9 million to non-governmental organizations; $8.5 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; $8 million to the International Committee for the Red Cross; $3 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East; $750,000 to the United Nations Children’s Fund; and $500,000 to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The U.N. estimates that at least one million people in Syria need assistance, with the number of internally displaced Syrians estimated at approximately 300,000. These besieged communities have received U.S. assistance in the form of medical supplies and other humanitarian relief.

Nearly 45,000 needy people in Homs, some 15,000 people in Hama, and 14,500 people in Idlib and rural Damascus have received food and other essentials over the last two weeks from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, with International Committee of the Red Cross support. U.N. and NGO partners are delivering food, water, hygiene kits, and household items to over 400,000 Syrians.

The United States recognizes the generosity of Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq for keeping their borders open and hosting and providing assistance to those fleeing Syria. Turkey is hosting more than 26,700 displaced Syrians in camps in Turkey. In Lebanon, more than 26,000 Syrians are being assisted throughout the country. In Jordan, some 24,000 displaced Syrians have been registered by the UNHCR, with 2,500 more waiting to be registered. And in Iraq, the UNHCR has registered more than 4,600 Syrians, with 425 individuals awaiting registration.

The United States is pursuing every avenue to provide humanitarian relief to those affected by the Assad regime’s violence. As U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said to the Syrian people, “the world stands by you, and we will not ignore your plight.”