Washington, Jan 11 (IANS/RIA Novosti): The US last year provided humanitarian aid worth $210 million to Syrians, who have been suffering from the ongoing bloody conflict between the ruling authorities and the rebels, the US Department of State said.

"(President Bashar al) Assad regime's war on its own civilian population over the past two years has precipitated a critical humanitarian crisis. The US is providing $210 million in humanitarian aid to assist conflict-affected Syrians inside Syria and those who have fled to neighboring countries, the majority of whom are residing among local communities," the department said in a statement.

It said the humanitarian aid was channeled to Syria through contributions to "UN and other international agencies as well as partner non-governmental organisations".

Earlier, a statement from the UN World Food Programme said that some 2.5 million people in Syria were in need of food assistance.

Syria has been engulfed in a civil war between various anti-Assad opposition forces and government troops since March 2011. The UN estimates that more than 60,000 people have been killed so far.