LONDON, July 30 (UPI) -- The British government said Tuesday it was releasing $7.6 million in aid to the Central African Republic to help address a forgotten crisis.
The British government said it estimates CAR's entire population of 4.6 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. A fragile situation was made worse by a coup conducted by the rebel Seleka coalition in March.
British International Development Minister Lynne Featherstone said the humanitarian situation in CAR since the coup is appalling.
"Britain will not look the other way while millions of the world's most vulnerable people are suffering," she said in a statement. "This support will provide a lifeline to the people of CAR, helping them to rebuild after months of violence."
The Seleka rebel coalition is suspected of committing war crimes in CAR. The United Nations described the severity of the crimes as systematic and widespread.
U.N. Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic left Monday for a four-day mission to CAR. The United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross said the international community has largely neglected the crisis.
