World Bulletin / News Desk

Jordan said Sunday it allowed passage to more than 400 Syrian civil defense agency members, White Helmets, reducing an earlier figure by almost half.

On Saturday, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said it had allowed the UN to organize the passage of some 800 White Helmets members for humanitarian reasons.

In a Sunday statement, foreign ministry spokesman Mohamed al-Kayed said Britain, Germany and Canada –- which made a legally binding pledge to resettle the Syrians within a specified period of time "because of a risk to their lives" --, settled on the figure of 422 White Helmets members rather than 800.

The statement added that transfer of the civil defense volunteers to the three Western countries would be done within three months.

Al-Kayed did not disclose location of White Helmets members, but said they would remain in a closed area.

He added the Syrians were only allowed passage via Jordan due to humanitarian reasons.