Israel evacuates 800 White Helmets to Jordan in face of Syria advance

AMMAN’ Israel has evacuated 800 White Helmets rescuers and their family members threatened by advancing Syrian regime forces to Jordan for resettlement in Britain, Canada and Germany, Amman said Sunday.

Founded in 2013, the Syria Civil Defence, or White Helmets, is a network of first responders which rescues wounded in the aftermath of air strikes, shelling or explosions in rebel-held territory.

Jordan “authorised the United Nations to organise the passage of 800 Syrian citizens through Jordan to be resettled in western countries,” the kingdom said.“The government gave the permission after Britain, Germany and Canada made a legally binding undertaking to resettle them within a specified period of time due to ‘a risk to their lives’.”

An Israeli government source confirmed Israel’s military had rescued 800 people who were taken to Jordan.“Upon request of the US, Canada and European states Israel has completed a humanitarian effort to rescue members of a Syrian civil organisation (‘White Helmets’) and families,” Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon tweeted.

White Helmets head Raed Saleh said the evacuees had arrived in Jordan after being “surrounded in a dangerous region”. They had been encircled in Daraa and Quneitra, he told AFP. Britain’s Foreign Office said it and “international partners” had helped facilitate the evacuations.

“White Helmets have been the target of attacks and, due to their high profile, we judged that, in these particular circumstances, the volunteers required immediate protection,” it said in a statement.