Brussels, 13/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Extremely concerned by the refugee crisis in Kobane (the Syrian town on the border with Turkey which for three weeks has been the target of Islamic State fighting), the EU has decided to increase its humanitarian aid by €3.9 million to help the thousands of people who have had to flee their country to take refuge in Turkey.
This additional aid, announced by the European Commission on Sunday 12 October, will enable the humanitarian organisations on the ground to cover the most urgent needs of these refugees - the provision of drinking water, access to sanitation facilities, shelter, medicines and food. It brings the amount mobilised by the Commission for vulnerable Syrian people in 2014 to €8.5 million.
“Over 180,000 Syrians have been displaced to Turkey by the fierce fighting in Kobane. This further adds to the impact of what is the biggest humanitarian crisis of our times”, said Kristalina Georgieva, European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response.
This funding is part of the Commission's €150 million humanitarian aid budget for the Syrian crisis in 2014. The total funding mobilised by the European Union (Commission and member states) in humanitarian, development, economic and stabilisation assistance to Syria so far amounts to €3 billion since the start of the crisis three years ago. (AN)