WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has ramped up U.S. aid, including communications equipment and medical supplies, to Syria's opposition in hopes of accelerating the downfall of President Bashar Assad, officials said Friday.

The president signed off on the package last week, U.S. officials said. They declined to outline all forms of American assistance because of the danger anti-Assad protesters have faced over the last year.

After a year of violence in Syria, a tenuous truce has taken hold this week.

Officials have declined to publicly outline what might be encompassed by this aid. That could include clothing, bulletproof vests, radios, night vision goggles or other objects Washington provided last year to Libyan rebels as they fought a civil war to overthrow dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

But officials stressed the majority of the aid was medical and communications supplies.

The U.S. officials said the package Obama approved will be given to Syria's “non-violent, political opposition” and not to armed rebels.

Washington had been providing satellite phones, SIM cards and other such equipment already, officials acknowledged, but said the level of assistance will now be increased.