US halts aid to Syrian rebels due to ‘logistical concerns’

WASHINGTON

The United States has halted non-lethal aid to rebels in northern Syria because of “logistical concerns,” State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said on Oct. 24.

“No policy decision has been made to cut off or stop assistance to the opposition. There are logistical concerns. Obviously, this is an active war zone, and in that case, we have not been able since then to deliver assistance to that part,” Harf said.

Daily Hürriyet reported on Oct. 22 that the U.S. had cut moderate northern Syrian rebel groups off from non-lethal aid, laying out conditions to the moderates for the resumption of aid. An al-Qaeda advance in northern Syria had physically blocked the aid’s dispersal.

Harf did not comment when asked if they had held any meeting with opposition groups in Washington over the conditions. “I’m not going to comment on specific diplomatic discussions with opposition groups,” she said.