Britain is to provide an additional £250 million in humanitarian aid for Syria over the next two years, International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt is to announce.

Speaking in Brussels, Ms Mordaunt will tell an international conference on Syria that UK aid will help fund the training of doctors and nurses working in the combat zone and provide blast-proofing material for medical facilities under attack by the Assad regime.

She is expected to say: “Syria is now one of the most dangerous places on Earth for aid workers and medical staff.

“Medical facilities and schools have been deliberately targeted, aid has been blocked to starve communities into submission, and rape and sexual violence have been deployed as routine weapons of war.

“Today’s pledge of UK aid support will help keep medical facilities open in the face of relentless attacks so doctors and nurses can save the lives of innocent Syrians, as well as helping the millions of Syrian refugees sheltering in neighbouring countries.”

How many are in neighbouring countries?
(PA Graphics)

The UK is to provide an additional £200 million this year, taking its total support for 2018 to £450 million, and another £50 million in 2019 taking its total for that year to £300 million.