Libya is to give $100 million in humanitarian aid for Syrians suffering as a result of the crackdown by the Assad . . .[restrict]regime.
It had been reported that the aid would be given to the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC). However, NTC spokesman Mohammed Al-Hareizi told Libya Herald on Wednesday that the money will be channeled via the Libyan Red Crescent and Libyan NGOs.
On Tuesday, following talks in Tripoli with a SNC delegation, NTC chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalilhad said that Libya would increase its efforts “to help the Syrian people in the areas of humanitarian and relief”.
The Syrian delegation, headed by Imadeddin Rashid, had asked for help saying that it was unable to provide the minimum requirements to deal with the indiscriminate shelling together with extreme weather conditions.
Libya recognized the SNC as the legitimate authority in Syria in October, one of the first countries to do so. On 15 February, Jalil announced that the SNC could open an office in Tripoli. This followed the decision a week earlier to expel Syrian diplomats from the country.
Hareizi said the decision, taken on Tuesday, has not yet been implemented and the mechanics of doing so still have to be decided.
He is reported by Reuters as saying that it would be “up to the prime minister’s office to determine the mechanism in collaboration with the Libyan aid authority and Libyan Red Crescent”.
There have been a number of demonstrations across Libya in support of the Syrian uprising.
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