US Pledges $10Mln in Additional Support for Syrian Refugees

The United States will provide additional $10 million to aid refugees from Syria.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States will provide additional $10 million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to aid refugees from Syria, US State Department said in a press release on Wednesday.

"The United States pledged an additional $10 million to UNHCR to strengthen its efforts to identify and refer vulnerable refugees, including Syrians, for resettlement," the press release stated.

The US authorities also confirmed its intention to resettle 10,000 Syrians in fiscal year 2016 while complying with a strict security protocol.

"Additionally, the United States has created a program to allow US citizens and permanent residents to file refugee applications for their Syrian family members," the release added.

The State Department said Washington intends to share technical expertise on resettlement with European institutions and officials.

In February, the United States allocated approximately $601 million worth of humanitarian aid to the victims of the conflict in Syria. Overall US assistance in response to the Syrian conflict now amounts to about $5.1 billion.