279 White Helmet guests, dependents leave Jordan

AMMAN — A total of 279 Syrians who worked for the civil defence and known as the White Helmets have left the Kingdom, a temporary host for humanitarian reasons, an official source at the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.

The government had allowed these rebels to enter the Kingdom for a limited period until they are resettled in Western countries upon a request by the UN, according to a ministry statement.

The UK, Canada and Germany pledged to resettle Syrians who worked for the civil defence and known as the White Helmets in opposition-controlled areas and fled to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights when the Syrian army attacked the region in the latest push to re-impose government control on the area.

Authorities allowed the UN to arrange their crossing into the country from Israel after receiving abiding pledges from the three countries to resettle them within three months.

The total number of these White Helmets and their family members was 422, which increased to 428 after six births were registered among them.

Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and UK Minister of State for Immigration Caroline Nokes discussed the issue during a meeting in early August, when the UK minister acquainted Safadi with her country’s steps to complete resettlement procedures within the agreed-upon period.