Trump releases $6.6M in frozen Syria funds

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - President Donald Trump released Thursday a small portion of the more than $200 million in funding for Syria stabilization efforts he froze in March.

More than $190 million remains frozen after Trump authorized the United States Agency for International Development and the State Department to use $6.6 million to bolster the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, and a UN investigative mechanism, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a statement.

The UN's International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism probes suspected war crimes in Syria.

"Their mandate, collecting and analyzing evidence of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights abuses‎ will help ensure those responsible for these crimes are ultimately held accountable," Nauert said.

She made no mention of the vast remainder of the funds that remain inaccessible.

Trump declared in March that the U.S. would end its activities in Syria "very soon" following the military defeat of Daesh, putting the onus on regional countries to take up stabilization and reconstruction of the war-torn nation.