SYDNEY – Thirteen Australian nationals with ties to the Islamic State terrorist organization are making their way back to Australia from Syrian detention facilities, with arrivals expected Thursday evening, according to local media reports.
Australian officials confirmed Wednesday that four women and nine children who had been held at camps in northeastern Syria were planning their return to the country, though the government has made clear they will not provide any assistance for their repatriation.
Media outlets reported that one woman and her child were traveling on a flight from Doha to Sydney, while additional family members boarded a separate aircraft bound for Melbourne, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Officials from Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s office have not yet responded to inquiries regarding the specific travel arrangements for the returning group.
Law enforcement authorities indicated that several members of the group may face arrest and criminal charges upon their arrival, while others could remain subjects of ongoing investigations. Officials plan to place the children in community-based reintegration and support services.
Several Australian women had traveled to Syria during the period from 2012 to 2016 to reunite with their spouses, who had reportedly joined the Islamic State organization.
After the terrorist group lost its territorial control in 2019, numerous family members of suspected fighters were placed in detention facilities, including the al-Hol camp located near the border with Iraq. Previous reports indicate that some Australian women had already returned to their home country.
The United States initiated efforts in January to relocate detained Islamic State members from Syria following the breakdown of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which had been responsible for securing approximately twelve facilities housing IS fighters and associated civilians, including foreign nationals.
