US donates $21 mn to support refugees

In Reef Hama, the Syrian army attacked the Kawkab village and surrounding areas Damascus – Agencies The Local Coordination Committees said that 81 people were killed by Syrian security fire on Thursday, including five children and a woman. Among those dead included 10 in Deir al-Zoor, 38 in Damascus and its outskirts, 23 in Zamalka, five in the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk, 20 in al-Haska, eight in Hama, three in Homs and one in Idlib and Daraa. Meanwhile, the US donated $21 million to fund the World Food Programme to support Syrian refugees.
The committees said that heavy bombardment from Mount Qasioun targeted the neighbourhoods in southern Damascus , while many villages in Damascus faced helicopter shelling. The shelling also happened in the neighbourhood of old Homs.
In Reef Hama, the Syrian army attacked the Kawkab village and surrounding areas, while Deir al-Zoor witnessed shelling and violent clashes between the Syrian government army and the Free Syrian Army.
Activists said that the neighbourhood of al-Tadamon was ground for violent clashes between the two armies on Thursday morning, following 272 deaths, mostly in Aleppo.
Activists also reported that the Syrian army shot dead 45 detainees in al-Ikramiyah area in Aleppo, while more than 25 children died in a shelling in the al-Atareb city and the neighbourhoods of al-Marja, al-Nayrab, and Masaken Hanano.
In Damascus, a car bombing took place in al-Fahama arena and caused Syrian forces to close all roads leading to the area.
Local Coordination Committees said that 58 people form al-Haska, sank Thursday during the attempt to illegally migrate off the Turkish coast.
According to Anadolu News Agency, the Izmir governor’s office said that 43 bodies were found in the water and 15 more were found on the boat. It was announced earlier that 46 people were rescued including the captain and his aide, both Turkish nationals who were arrested.
An official from the disaster zone Izmir, said that the majority of victims are Arab while CNN Turk said that the small fishing boat transporting 102 rescued passengers were from Iraq and Syria. The incidents in Iraq and Syria caused migrants to flow into neighbouring countries, especially Turkey. According to CNN Turk, the boat crashed into rocks after sailing from the Turkish Ahmetbeyli village to an unknown destination.
Illegal immigrants usually try to reach nearby Greek islands from Turkey to cross into European countries.
Turkey is considered a main passage for illegal migration into Europe. Authorities usually arrest migrants from Africa and the Middle East as the EU member Greece stands as one of the favourite destinations for illegal migrants.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov praised Wednesday the work of the International Red Cross in Syria describing it as “professional and unpoliticised.” On twitter, he said: “In a complex situation in Syria the ICRC will expand its activity there - with the consent of Syrian authorities… This was agreed during the negotiations of the ICRC President in Damascus.”ICRC chief Peter Maurer had met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Tuesday.
The head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah, said Washington is providing an additional $21 million to the World Food Programme to help 120,000 Syrian refugees, in addition to refugees in neighbouring countries.
During a visit to Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, the Jordanian official news agency Petra reported Shah saying that $2.5 million of the amount will be devoted to Syrian refugees in Jordan.
Shah said: \"$14.3 million of the new funds will provide food assistance to conflict-affected people inside Syria and $6.7 million will be used to support Syrians refugees in neighbouring states.\"