U.S. increases aid to Syrian refugees
Washington has been by far the single biggest humanitarian donor to Syrians
The United States will add another $419 million dollars to help civilians endangered by the fighting in Syria, officials said Monday, after criticism Washington is not doing enough to help refugees.
Washington has been by far the single biggest humanitarian donor to Syrians and the additional funds will bring the sum it has spent since the start of the conflict in early 2011 to $4.5 billion.
But, by its own standards, it has been slow to accept Syrian refugees for resettlement, with barely 1,800 having arrived in the past four years -- a tiny fraction of the millions who have fled their homes.
President Barack Obama has promised that 10,000 will be admitted over the next fiscal year, but the main U.S. priority is helping refugees in camps in the region while seeking a long-term settlement to the conflict.
“There are over four million Syrian refugees in the world today, the vast majority of whom receive support in the first country to which they flee,” the State Department said.
“It is our hope that by increasing humanitarian assistance and protection efforts in Syria and neighboring countries, Syrians will not be forced to seek assistance abroad at greater personal peril, and will also be able to return home more easily when the conflict ends.”
The extra funds will be shared between U.N. agencies, aid NGOs and regional governments and will be spent both inside Syria and in the camps in frontline countries.
The United States is leading a coalition of Western and Arab allies to carry out air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria jihadist group in eastern Syria and northern Iraq.
But its parallel efforts to isolate Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad’s regime while building up opposition forces and political groups and seeking a political settlement to the conflict have made little progress.
-
Lebanon to enroll 100,000 new Syrian students-refugees
The figure is double the number of refugees who were able to enroll last year Variety -
Son of tripped Syrian refugee accompanies Ronaldo at game
The son of the Syrian refugee tripped by a Hungarian journalist accompanied Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo onto the pitch Sports -
Canada to accept 10,000 Syrians within one year
Canada said that it would accept 10,000 Syrian refugees within one year by speeding up the immigration application process World News -
Turkey spent $7.6 bln on 2.2 mln Syrian refugees
Turkey hosts the world's largest refugee population and has vowed to maintain its open border policy Middle East -
Syrian tripped by Hungarian journalist heading to Spain
The Syrian refugee who was tripped at a border hotspot by a Hungarian journalist while carrying his son will live in a Madrid suburb World News -
Gulf states urge world to do more to help refugees
Gulf monarchies Tuesday called on the international community to take greater responsibility in aiding Syrian refugees Middle East -
Syrian refugees don’t want to camp in Saudi Arabia. They want a future
It’s no use the Gulf countries building refugee camps – Syrians want a proper life elsewhere Middle East -
Taking in Syria refugees 'heightens risk of terrorism': U.S. lawmaker
U.S. officials have said it is possible that members of ISIS could sneak into the country among Syrian refugees Middle East