Syria and area receive $229M

Canada is giving $229 million in aid for Syria and neighbouring nations hosting refugees from the war-torn state. The aid package includes $169 million for food, clean water and hygiene and health services, as well as support for women facing violence. International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan announced the funding as Canada takes part in an international conference in Brussels on finding a political solution to the conflict in Syria. The conflict, which has been waging for more than 10 years, followed a violent crackdown by the Assad regime on pro-democracy demonstrations in 2011, which escalated into civil war. The aid package will also help Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, where many Syrian refugees have fled President Bashar Assad’s Moscow-backed regime.