Australia repatriates ISIS wives and brides women and their children from Syrian camp

Australia has repatriated a group of women and children who were left stranded in refugee camps in northeastern Syria after the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group lost control of the area in 2019.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil said that the group, made up of four Australian women and their 13 children, had arrived in New South Wales.

"The focus has been the safety and security of all Australians as well as the safety of those involved in the operation," she said. "The government has carefully considered the range of security, community and welfare factors in making the decision to repatriate."

Earlier this month Canberra said it hoped to rescue from refugee camps in Syria dozens of Australian women and children who belonged to the families of dead or jailed ISIS fighters.

The four women had allegedly traveled from Australia to the Middle East to marry ISIS fighters.

O'Neil added that Australian law enforcement agencies would "continue to engage with" and investigate other members of the group.

The Australian government has repatriated four Australian women and their 13 children from a Syrian refugee camp to New South Wales state, home affairs minister Clare O’Neil said.

The repatriation is part of a plan to bring back from Syria dozens of Australian women and children who are relatives of dead or jailed ISIL (ISIS) fighters and who have languished for several years at the al-Hol and Roj detention camps in Kurdish-controlled northeastern Syria.

Australia first repatriated eight children and grandchildren of two dead ISIL fighters from a Syrian refugee camp in 2019 but has held off repatriating any others until now.

“The decision to repatriate these women and their children was informed by individual assessments following detailed work by national security agencies,” O’Neil said in a statement on Saturday.

The women and children left the Roj refugee camp in northern Syria on Thursday afternoon and crossed the border into Iraq to board a flight home, the Sydney Morning Herald and state broadcaster ABC reported on Friday.

She said allegations of illegal activity would continue to be investigated by state and federal law enforcement authorities.

“Any identified offences may lead to law enforcement action being taken,” O’Neil said, adding that New South Wales was providing “extensive support services” to assist the group to reintegrate into Australia.

Opposition party leader Peter Dutton has labelled the move as not in the country’s best interest, saying the women have mixed with “people who hate our country, hate our way of life”.

In a statement on Saturday attributed to the repatriated women, the group said they were “deeply thankful” to be back in Australia and they expressed regret for the “troubles and hurt” caused by their actions, particularly to their families.

Asking for privacy and space to reconnect with their loved ones, the women expressed hope that “all Australian children and their mothers will soon be repatriated from the camps in Syria”.