Why the UK is halting foreign aid to rebel-held areas of Syria

The government has decided to axe the funding of a number of aid programmes in rebel-held areas of Syria on the basis that it’s become too difficult to deliver the money.

Funding for the Free Syrian Police, a controversial community-led police force set up after the Syrian uprising in 2011, is expected to be scrapped next month.

Meanwhile, funding for local councils is under review and is likely be terminated by the end of the financial year, according to The Times.

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The symbolic move acknowledges that the seven-year revolution is “effectively over”, the paper says.

Why has funding been axed?

Britain has been financially supporting rebel-held areas of Syria since 2012, pumping in millions of pounds worth of humanitarian aid, as well as funding the Free Syrian Police and some local councils.

But the UK government now says the non-humanitarian programmes are “too risky to operate” as the final rebel-held areas face “imminent attack” from President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, The Guardian reports.

The decision suggests Britain has accepted that the Syrian opposition is facing looming defeat from a combination of Syrian regime forces and Russian airstrikes, the paper adds.

A government spokesperson said: “As the situation on the ground in some regions has become increasingly difficult, we have reduced support for some of our non-humanitarian programming.”

The Foreign Office and the Department for International Development have denied that the decision is linked to a BBC Panorama investigation broadcast in December, which alleged that the Free Syrian Police force was cooperating with extremists in northwestern Syria.

What about humanitarian aid?

Britain has spent £152m on humanitarian programmes in Syria during 2017-2018 and remains one of the largest aid donors to the war-torn nation.

Today’s announcement is not expected to affect vital humanitarian support, such as the provision of food, water and medical treatment. The government has announced it will continue to deliver “vital support” to help those most in need, and to improve security and stability in the country.

Last week, Minister for the Middle East Alistair Burt announced new measures to assist civilians in the region, including support for four health centres and early warning air raid sirens.

“The UK is extremely concerned about escalating military action by Assad and his backers on almost three million civilians who have sought shelter in Idlib and surrounding areas,” he said.