Blinken: The U.S. Will Provide $150 Million in Aid to Iraqis and Syrians

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Thursday that Washington will provide nearly $150 million in aid to areas in Syria and Iraq that have been liberated from the extremist group ISIS. He made this statement at a conference on combating ISIS, attended by ministers and hosted by Saudi Arabia. Although ISIS no longer controls any territory, its affiliates continue to carry out attacks across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. According to the Associated Press, the 'Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS' includes over 80 countries and continues to coordinate actions against ISIS, which at its peak controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq. Blinken stated that the U.S. commitment of approximately $150 million is part of a new budget of over $600 million. He described the 'poor security and humanitarian conditions' and 'lack of economic opportunities' as sources of 'severe despair' that 'ISIS feeds on and recruits from.' He emphasized, 'Therefore, we must remain committed to our goals of establishing stability.' U.S. aid to Syria will likely be channeled through Syrian Kurdish groups, the United Nations, or international aid organizations, as the U.S. and other Western countries impose sanctions on the government of Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria. During his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, Blinken was one of the hosts of this meeting. He met and discussed with senior Saudi officials, including its de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also participated in another meeting with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. U.S. aerial patrols in the Strait of Hormuz aim to 'enhance security' in the region.