The United States has released $756 million in humanitarian aid to Syria

The United States on Thursday announced $756 million in new humanitarian aid to Syria. “After more than a decade of war, the needs of displaced populations are urgent,” the State Department said.

Minister Anthony Blinken said the funding, which comes on top of the 808 billion pledged earlier this year, is a sign of unwavering support for the Syrian people. He also stressed the importance of an international agreement that allows humanitarian aid to pass through Turkey’s border. “A vital link for millions of people in Syria,” it reads.

In July, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution extending the cross-border assistance mechanism for six months. The West wanted a one-year extension, but Russia only agreed to half. The mechanism, which has been in place since 2014, would allow aid to the more than 2.4 million people in Idleb province and northern Aleppo, which are controlled by jihadist rebel groups, without permission from the regime in Damascus.

“Cross-border deliveries help ensure that vital aid, including food, medicine and other necessities, actually reaches people in northwest Syria,” Blinken said. In total, Washington has already funded about $15.7 billion in humanitarian aid to Syria since the war began nearly 11 years ago.