US increases humanitarian, military aid

US President Barack Obama said that his country will provide $76 million for humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, due to the increased strain by the Syrian war and incoming refugees.

The Lebanese Armed Forces are set to receive double the amount of military assistance from the United States to reach $150 million compared to last year, a statement by Secretary of State John Kerry said.

“These funds will allow the Lebanese Armed Forces to buy munitions, improve close air support, sustain vehicles and aircraft, modernize airlift capacity, provide training to its soldiers, and add to the mobility of armored units,” he said. These funds come in addition to the $59 million in border security assistance the US announced earlier this month.

Kerry was speaking at the International Support Group for Lebanon, set up to help the country to cope with the neighboring civil war.