The United States, France and the United Nations have pledged additional aid for Syria amid continuous international efforts to seek humanitarian access to areas heavily affected by the conflict gripping the country.
The United States announced March 7 it will contribute an additional $2 million to humanitarian aid efforts in Syria, the Agence France-Press reports. The funds will support efforts to provide medical care, water, food, heaters, hygiene and blankets to civilians, according to Kelly Clements, the U.S. deputy secretary for population, refugees and migration.
On March 8, France pledged to grant €1 million ($1.3 million) for Syria’s emergency relief fund, according to the French Foreign Ministry.
Meanwhile, the United Nations is preparing a plan to feed 1.5 million Syrians affected by the fighting. The proposed 90-day operation is expected to cost up to $105 million, an amount the United Nations plans to raise through a funding appeal, Reuters says.
These announcements come as U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos is traveling in Syria to assess the situation there and negotiate access for aid agencies shut out by the Syrian government. The Red Cross is currently the only international agency with significant presence in the Middle Eastern country, and even its movements are limited by the military and government.
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