Israel Evacuates Tens of Pro-Militant White Helmet Members from Syria

TEHRAN (FNA)- Israel has helped almost 800 members of the pro-militants White Helmet Organization members escape Syria and and relocated them to Jordan, a media outlet reported on Sunday.

Tens of the self-described aid workers, who operate exclusively in militant-held areas, have crossed into Israel from Southwestern Syria overnight on Sunday, German tabloid Bild reported, citing its own correspondents in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The White Helmets’ passage has been facilitated by Israel, according to Bild, which reported they have been transferred through an Israeli military base.

The evacuation kicked off at 9:30 pm local time on Saturday and was expected to continue into the night. Several roads were put on lockdown by the army and police as part of preparations for the exodus.

The Israeli army claimed that the move was carried out in line with humanitarian objectives on the request of the US and the European nations.

In the meantime, Spokesman for the Jordanian Foreign Ministry Mohammad al-Qayed was quoted by the Arabic-language website of the RT as saying that Amman has agreed the UN demand for temporary passage of 800 members of the White Helmets from Syria to settle them later in the Western nations.

He further pointed to a legal commitment promised by the UK, Germany and Canada to resettle the White Helmet members as it is claimed by the western states that life of the Syrian members of White Helmets Organization that once were operating in militant-held region under National Defense title is now in danger as the Syrian Army is capturing the entire Southern Syria.

Al-Ahd news website reported in April that the army discovered a location in the small town of Saqba in Eastern Ghouta that was used by the White Helmets to shoot and produce videos that depict the army as a savage force that killed civilians mercilessly.

It further said that the army men found a series of cameras and film-production equipment at the site.

Also in April, the Russian Defense Ministry denied reports of an alleged chemical bomb being dropped on Douma, suggesting that a number of western states as well as NGOs like the White Helmets turned to such claims in order to undermine the evacuation of Jeish al-Islam terrorists from the area.

“We strongly deny these claims and announce our readiness to send Russian experts in radiation, chemical and biological defense to Douma after its liberation from terrorists to gather evidence, which would prove that the allegations on the chemical weapons use was staged,” Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, commander of the Russian Center for Syria reconciliation, said.

The Syrian government also denied allegations of having used chemical weapons in the city of Douma in Eastern Ghouta, saying it did not need such measures to stop the terrorists.

According to the statement, issued by the Syrian authorities on the state-run SANA news agency, such claims were made by terrorists and are aimed at hindering Syrian forces, which made “a swift and determined advance” and did not need such measures to deter the terrorists.

“The chemical fabrications, which did not serve the terrorists and their sponsors in Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta, will not serve them today either, as the Syrian state is determined to end terrorism in every square inch of Syrian territory,” the statement read.

 

By FNA, Teheran

 

The 21st Century

 

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The 21st Century.

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