BICOM

The UK is set to reduce international aid to areas of Syria controlled by rebel forces. The Telegraph reports that the UK Department for International Development (DfID) has decided that the programmes currently funded in Idlib, northwestern Syria, are “unsustainable” as pro-regime forces have begun to move in.

This follows in the wake of Bashar al-Assad’s return to power in the country and his successful attempt to take over all previously held opposition strongholds.

UK aid will be stopped to the Free Syria Police force and Access to Justice and Community Service (Ajacs) programme, while humanitarian aid will continue. This was decided as a result of the growing security risk in the rebel-held regions.

A British government spokesperson confirmed to the Independent: “We have reduced support for some of our non-humanitarian programming, but continue to deliver vital support to help those most in need and to improve security and stability in the country.”

The government have denied that funding was cut due to allegations by the BBC Panorama programme which claimed that the Free Syria police force was ‘largely’ controlled by jihadist forces. The government has rejected these findings.

Attempting to find new ways to aid Syria, the UK government announced last week that it will fund a social media early warning system of attacks to protect civilians from airstrikes, the Telegraph reported.

The Independent reports that Britain spent £152 million in aid to Syria in the last financial year. Reports state that a third of which has been delivered to Idlib province, on the Turkish border. A factsheet produced by DfID in May said £866 million had been spent on Syrian aid between Feburary 2012 and March 2018.  Britain has been one of the opposition’s largest western backers since 2011.