US announces $700M in aid for Syrians stuck in war zone

The State Department announced on Thursday that the U.S. is providing nearly $700 million in additional humanitarian aid for Syrians caught in the middle of the country’s years-long civil war.

“The new funding also helps mitigate the impact of the crisis on governments and communities throughout the region,” the department said in a statement obtained by Reuters.

The aid announced Thursday brings the total amount of money to Syria from the U.S. to more than $7 billion since 2012.

{mosads}Roughly $516 million of the aid will be put toward assistance inside of Syria, while additional funds will be contributed to countries in the region and aid organizations. 

The Syrian civil war began in 2011 and has claimed the lives of roughly 400,000 Syrians, according to the United Nations.

The U.N. said 5 million people have fled the country, prompting a global refugee crisis, while 6.3 million people are displaced inside of the country.