Funds to Syria destined for medical supplies, not opposition groups: Baird

OTTAWA – Canada’s foreign affairs minister says every penny of aid this country is providing to Syria is going towards medical supplies.

John Baird is dismissing reports that some of the assistance is being used to support opposition forces battling the Syrian regime.

Questions have been raised about $2 million in aid flowing through a recently established Syrian-Canadian group, as opposed to more traditional avenues.

But the federal government says Canadian Relief for Syria is receiving the money because it’s able to provide direct services to those affected by the ongoing conflict in the country.

Baird says getting assistance to a war zone is difficult and Canada is doing its best to make sure medical supplies reach the people who need them.

He says that includes those wounded in the uprising against Bashar al-Assad’s regime, as well as civilians who have been left with little health care because of the fighting.