UK to give Syria's White Helmets additional funding

The UK government has increased its funding to the Syria Civil Defence group (the White Helmets), which operates in rebel-controlled areas of Syria, in order to aid its efforts to tackle the aftermath of the earthquake.

In addition to the £2.25m ($2.7m) it gives to the White Helmets each year, the UK is giving an additional £800,000 ($963,000) to the group, according to the BBC.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told MPs the UK would also provide help to Syria through other organisations, including the International Medical Corps, Save the Children and UN agencies.

"The Conflict Stability and Security Fund will provide an uplift to the opposition Syria Civil Defence – commonly known as the White Helmets – to support their emergency response operations across northwest Syria," Cleverly said.

Rescue efforts in the rebel-held northwestern Syria have been hampered due to the damage done by the earthquake to the roads leading to the Bab el-Hawa crossing, which is the sole border crossing with Turkey.