Second Group of Australian Women and Children Linked to Islamic State to Return Home
Australian Women and Children Returning from Syria: Details and Reactions
Overview of the Planned Return
SYDNEY, May 26 (Reuters) - A group of seven Australian women and 12 children linked to the Islamic State militant group have made travel plans to return home, authorities said on Tuesday, in what would be the second such Australian group to leave a Syrian refugee camp this month.
Government Response and Legal Implications
Official Statement from Home Affairs Minister
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the government was not assisting their travel and that any who have committed crimes "can expect to face the full force of the law".
"These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation," Burke said in a statement.
Arrival Timeline and Media Reports
Burke did not say when the second group would arrive and his office did not respond immediately to a request for more details. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported they left a camp in northeast Syria last Thursday and could land in the coming days.
Previous Repatriations and Legal Proceedings
First Group's Return and Charges
Four women and nine children returned to Australia earlier this month after more than seven years in a Syrian camp. Two of those women were charged with slavery offences, while another was charged with terror-related offences, including allegedly joining Islamic State.
Public and Political Reactions
Criticism and Government Position
The planned return has drawn criticism from opponents, who say the centre-left government failed to stop repatriations, while the government said there were "very serious limits" on preventing Australian citizens from re-entering the country.
Security Measures and Monitoring
Law enforcement and intelligence agencies have prepared for such returns for more than a decade and have plans to monitor those arriving, the government said.
Background on Australian Involvement with ISIS
Travel to Syria and Detainment
Between 2012 and 2016, some Australian women travelled to Syria to join their husbands who were allegedly members of ISIS. Following the collapse of the caliphate in 2019, many were detained in camps.
International Context
U.S. Actions and the Collapse of Kurdish-Led Forces
In January, the United States began moving detained ISIS members out of Syria after the collapse of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which had been guarding around a dozen facilities holding fighters and affiliated civilians, including foreigners.
(Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Stephen Coates)
