Amman — Jordan said on Sunday that it has taken in 800 Syrian White Helmets rescuers and their families from Israel and plans to transfer them to the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany.

"The Jordanian government said it had authorized the United Nations to organize 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'," it said in an English-language statement.

"These Syrian citizens who were working in the civil defense, had fled the areas controlled by the Syrian opposition after the Syrian army's attack in those areas."

Founded in 2013, the Syria Civil Defense, or White Helmets, is a network of first responders who rescue wounded in the aftermath of air strikes, shelling or blasts in rebel-held territory.

Foreign ministry spokesman Mohammed Al-Kayed said Jordan had accepted the members of the Syrian rescue organization for "purely humanitarian reasons" as their lives had been at risk.

Kayed said those evacuated would stay in "a restricted area" of Jordan until they are transferred to the three countries within three months.

White Helmets head Raed Saleh said the evacuees had arrived in Jordan after being "surrounded in a dangerous region".

They were encircled in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra, he said, including a number trapped between the border with the Golan Heights and advancing Russia-backed regime troops, he told AFP.

Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said she "called for global leadership to support and help these heroes" during a meeting of foreign ministers at the NATO leaders' summit in Brussels a week ago.

The White Helmets have rescued thousands of civilians trapped under the rubble or caught up in fighting in battered opposition-held zones along various fronts of Syria's seven-year conflict.

Since its formation, when Syria's conflict was nearing its third year, more than 200 of its volunteers have died and another 500 have been wounded.

The group's motto -- "To save one life is to save all of humanity" -- is drawn from a verse in the Holy Qur'an.

Some members have received training abroad, including in Turkey, returning to instruct colleagues on search-and-rescue techniques.

The group receives funding from a number of governments, including Britain, Germany and the United States, but also solicits individual donations to purchase equipment such as its signature hard hats.

Last year, a Netflix production called "The White Helmets" won an Academy Award for best short documentary.

A second film on the group, named "Last Men in Aleppo," was nominated for an Oscar in 2018.

More than 650,000 Syrian refugees are registered with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Jordan but the kingdom says it hosts 1.3 million Syrian refugees. — AFP