HATAY, Türkiye

The US ambassador to the UN on Thursday thanked Türkiye for facilitating and supporting humanitarian aid to war-torn Syria.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the World Food Program (WFP) distribution center in the Reyhanli district of Türkiye's southern Hatay province, Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed her gratitude to the Turkish government for hosting refugees.

She recalled the US' announcement last month of $800 million in additional humanitarian aid, adding that they expect a decision to extend the cross-border aid to Syria at the UN Security Council session slated for July 10.

Syria has been ravaged by a civil war since early 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.

According to UN estimates, hundreds of thousands of people have since been killed and millions more displaced.

Over 14 million had to flee their homes, becoming refugees or internally displaced, according to the EU.