MOSCOW, September 12 (RIA Novosti) - US Secretary of State John Kerry has announced nearly $500 million in new humanitarian aid for victims of the conflict in Syria, after meeting with Turkish officials to promote the idea of building an international coalition to combat the Islamic State militant group, Voice of America reported Friday.
This decision is in line with the commitment to continue humanitarian efforts expressed by the State Secretary in his statement late July:
“Our assistance feeds, shelters, and provides medicine and water to millions of refugees throughout the region. … As we continue our humanitarian efforts, we remain committed to finding a political solution to this crisis. We must bring the violence and bloodshed to an end, and work toward the future of dignity and freedom that all Syrians deserve.”
At the same time, Kerry underlined the necessity of the global community working together in order to achieve positive results.
"Some countries have to tighten up the flow of money, others have to tighten up the flow of weapons, others have to tighten up the flow of foreign fighters,” Kerry said in an interview with Voice of America. “There are all kinds of concerted efforts that are going to have to be focused on in order to make this work."
According to the US Agency’s International Development data, the US humanitarian assistance for Syria totals more than $2.4 billion, and the new funding brings it to more than $2.9 billion since fighting started in 2011.
The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) states some 3 million Syrian refugees have registered in neighboring countries. A considerable part of the population remains trapped in the country and is experiencing difficulties reaching open border crossings. The highest concentrations of refugees are found in in Lebanon (1.17 million), Turkey (830,000) and Jordan (613,000), according to UNHCR. Some 215,000 are in Iraq with the rest in Egypt and other countries.
John Kerry is currently on a tour to the Middle East with a view to build a military, political and financial coalition countering the militants of the Islamic State that control parts of Iraq and Syria. After Turkey, Kerry will travel to Egypt for talks with the new government there on fighting the Islamic State and backing the cease-fire in Gaza.
The Islamic State is a Sunni jihadist group that has been fighting the Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq, declaring a caliphate on the territories under its control.
