He did not say how much aid, but did announce that the United States would separately give $60 million to local groups working with the opposition Syrian National Council to provide political administration and basic services in rebel-controlled areas of Syria.

That's on top of $50 million in similar aid the United States has previously pledged to the council, as well as $385 million in humanitarian assistance, Kerry said.

The European Council carved out an exception in its sanctions against Syria on Thursday to allow for the transfer of nonlethal equipment and technical assistance for civilian protection only. It did not specify what kind of equipment could be involved.

City bombarded

Meanwhile, violent clashes have been taking place in al-Raqa province, near Syria's northern border with Turkey, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based opposition group.

Fighting began Saturday morning between fighters from many rebel battalions and regime forces, around the al-Raqa city, the Mashlab and Furusiya checkpoints and the Hajana building in the city, the group said.

The sound of explosions rocked the city and smoke rose overhead, where helicopters hovered, the Observatory said. Several areas in the city and its outskirts were bombarded by government forces.

The group reported dozens of deaths on both sides.

Saturday, 133 people were killed across Syria, including 36 in Damascus and its suburbs, according to the Local Coordination Committees for Syria, a network of opposition activists.

The unrest began in March 2011, when al-Assad's government began a brutal crackdown on demonstrators calling for enhanced political freedoms.

The protest movement eventually devolved into an armed conflict, one that has devastated cities and towns around the country and has already claimed nearly 70,000 lives.

It has also spurred more than 950,000 Syrians to flee to neighboring nations, according to the United Nations' refugee agency.