Britain stops aid funding in Syrian opposition areas ahead of regime offensive

The UK government said on Monday it was ending funding for some aid programmes in rebel-held areas of Syria, which have become too risky ahead of an imminent government offensive there. 

"As the situation on the ground in some regions has become increasingly difficult, we have reduced support for some of our non-humanitarian programming, but continue to deliver vital support to help those most in need and to improve security and stability in the country," a UK government spokeswoman told Reuters in an emailed statement.

The attempt to create an independent police force would also be scrapped from September, while projects funding local councils were being reviewed and would likely be halted by the end of the financial year.

The report added that the Foreign Office and Department for International Development had determined the aid programmes in the northwestern parts of Syria to be "unsustainable".

Instead, the focus in northern Syria is now on basic lifesaving needs, providing medicines and medical equipment and water and sanitation support.

It is feared an imminent Syrian government and Russian offensive on the province of Idlib - the last remaining rebel stronghold - could create a humanitarian disaster. 

Some 2.7 million people are trapped in Idlib, which is controlled by a complex patchwork of jihadists and more moderate rebels. 

The UK government said it had spent £152 million pounds on humanitarian programmes in Syria for the financial year 2017-2018.

Britain had increased its aid as well as supply of armoured vehicles and training to Syria's opposition in 2013.

Syria's northwest is the last major region still held by rebels.

The conflict in Syria has killed an estimated half a million people, driven more than 5.5 million people out of the country and displaced over 6.5 million within it.

In 2011, the United States adopted a policy that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must leave power. But Washington and its Western allies, including Britain, have subsequently watched Assad's forces, backed by Iran and then Russia, claw back territory and secure his position.

On Friday, the US state department announced it was cutting $230m (£180m) from its budget to stabilise areas of Syria captured from Isis, saying it had been compensated by $300m in extra contributions from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other US allies.