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Japan to provide further humanitarian aid to Syrian refugees

Xinhua, February 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Japanese government on Tuesday said it will provide Syrian refugees with six million U.S. dollars in emergency aid as part of an expansion of its Middle East humanitarian assistance program.

The Foreign Ministry said the funds would be made available to those at need and would also be accessible to Syria's neighbors, including Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey.

The proceeds will be made primarily through the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the World Food Program (WFP) and four other such international organizations, the ministry said.

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters earlier Tuesday that the latest aid package is part of the government's extended humanitarian and diplomatic assistance to the region, to help in the fight against terrorism and militant groups like the Islamic State who purportedly killed two Japanese.

Despite the Islamic State claiming that the slaying of the two Japanese hostages was an answer to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledging 200 million U.S. dollars in aid when he was on a recent tour in the Middle East, Abe has said that Japan will "never give in to terrorism."

The financial aid has been earmarked to buy blankets, heating equipment and food, the ministry added, as freezing winter temperatures in the region are further contributing to the harsh living conditions for the refugees. Endi