European Commission increases aid to Syria

The European Commission Tuesday announced and increase in aid to Syria and neighbouring countries by 215 million euro.
The new funding includes 50 million euro in humanitarian aid and 165 million euro to support longer-term development, said the EU's executive body in a statement tonight.
This will provide relief inside and outside Syria, reducing pressure on its borders and in neighbouring countries. It will also help respond to the needs of the tens of thousands of refugees fleeing to Turkey in recent days, the largest wave of displacement since the beginning of the conflict.
It is estimated that more than 6.4 million people have been displaced by the conflict inside Syria while more than three million refugees have been registered.
"The conflict in Syria continues unabated, and the needs of the Syrian people grow inexorably," said Kristalina Georgieva, EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid.
"The people of Syria are being terrorised by this inhuman conflict. I warmly commend Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey Jordan and Egypt for their generosity towards Syrian refugees but it is clear that the capacities in neighbouring countries to absorb so many people are stretched to their limits. In the last few days alone more than a hundred thousand people have crossed into Turkey, whose government deserves our deep gratitude for keeping its border open", she added.