The Australian government refused on Saturday, April 25, to provide any support for the return of its citizens in northeastern Syria who are suspected of links to the Islamic State group. The refusal came after reports that several Australian families had left Roj camp in al-Hasakah (northeastern Syria) for the capital, Damascus, in preparation for their return.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quoted the director of Roj camp as saying that four Australian women and nine of their children and grandchildren left the camp on Friday with help from local parties who transported them to Damascus, with the aim of arranging their return by air to Australia.
In contrast, an Australian government spokesperson told AFP that “the Australian government is not and will not repatriate people from Syria,” stressing that security agencies are closely monitoring the situation to ensure readiness should any of these individuals return independently.
The spokesperson added that “people in this cohort need to understand that they will face the full force of the law in Australia if they have committed crimes,” saying the government’s priority is to protect national security and the safety of citizens.
The group is part of 34 Australians who attempted to leave Roj camp in February, but their attempt failed because of what was described at the time as coordination problems with the Syrian government.
Field Moves Pave Way for Camp Closure
The developments come as Roj camp is witnessing rapid changes, after the Autonomous Administration announced in February its intention to evacuate and close the camp as part of a broader plan to redistribute its residents.
At the time, Sheikhmous Ahmed, co-chair of the Office for Displaced Persons and Refugee Affairs in the Autonomous Administration, said the camp held about 2,225 people from more than 40 countries, including Syrian and Iraqi families. He noted that the evacuation would be carried out in coordination with the countries concerned to return their nationals, while Syrian families would be transferred to their original areas.
Political Debate and Rights Pressure
Domestically, the file of returning families linked to the Islamic State group is a point of political dispute in Australia. The opposition has called for stricter laws to prevent the return of any individuals with ties to groups designated as “terrorist,” arguing that this poses a potential threat to national security.
By contrast, rights organizations, including Save the Children Australia, have urged the government to approach the issue from a humanitarian perspective, especially regarding children, who face harsh conditions in the camps in terms of health, education, and psychological support.
The organization filed a lawsuit in 2023 on behalf of 11 women and 20 children demanding their return to Australia. However, the Federal Court rejected the case, ruling that the government did not have direct control over the places where they were being held inside Syria.
For his part, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said any potential repatriation process would require clear safeguards and support programs, especially for children, to help facilitate their reintegration into society.
Camps in al-Hasakah
Since the defeat of the Islamic State group in 2019, a number of Australian women and their children have remained in camps in northeastern Syria, after many of the women were linked to fighters in the group. They were distributed between al-Hol and Roj camps.
The Syrian government dismantled al-Hol camp after taking control of the countryside of al-Hasakah governorate, while Roj camp remains under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Meanwhile, the Australian government has returned only limited groups over the past years, without expanding repatriation operations because of political pressure and security concerns.
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