London commits funds to Syrian opposition

The British foreign secretary announced Friday that London was supporting the Syrian opposition with nearly $8 million of non-lethal assistance. "The Syrian people need urgent help and today we are greatly increasing what we will do to support them," Foreign Secretary William Hague said in a statement. The conflict in Syria has centered on the city of Aleppo, were rebel and government forces have fought for control. Members of the U.N. Security Council are at odds over the best way forward in Syria, though Hague said civilians on the ground can't wait forever. "They are at the mercy of a regime that is hunting down its opponents, an army that has turned its weapons against civilians and militias that are committing barbaric crimes," he said. Most of the $7.8 million in aid would support the political opposition and humanitarian and medical assistance efforts in Syria. Russia is among the strong opponents of a formal Security Council resolution condemning Syria. Moscow says draft resolutions circulated so far are lopsided and potentially open the door to further militarization of the conflict. London last year deployed a team of British military officers to Libya to advise the rebel-backed transitional council on military structure, logistics and communications during that country's civil war.