Australia refuses to repatriate ISIS-linked citizens
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Australia will not repatriate its citizens linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) group from camps in northeastern Syria, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday, delivering a blunt message to families seeking to return.
Speaking to the national broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Albanese said Canberra would not facilitate the return of individuals who had travelled overseas to support the extremist organization.
“We won’t repatriate them,” Albanese said. “These are people who went overseas supporting Islamic State and went there to provide support for people who basically want a caliphate.”
A group of 34 Australians — including 11 women and 23 children — departed the Roj Camp in northeastern Syria on Feb. 15, reportedly intending to travel to Australia via Damascus. It remains unclear how their travel arrangements will proceed without government backing.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said federal authorities and security agencies are closely monitoring the situation, reiterating that the government’s position on repatriation remains unchanged.
The decision underscores Australia’s firm stance on citizens who joined or supported extremist groups abroad, amid ongoing security and legal concerns.
Since the territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria in 2019, thousands of foreign nationals — including women and children — have remained in detention camps in northeastern Syria, such as Hawl and Roj, under the control of Kurdish Autonomous Administration.
Several Western countries have carried out limited repatriations, often prioritizing children.
Australia previously repatriated small groups of women and children from Syrian camps in 2022 and 2023, citing humanitarian grounds and national security management frameworks.
However, Albanese’s latest remarks signal a hardened approach toward remaining detainees with alleged ties to ISIS, reflecting ongoing debate in Australia over national security risks, legal responsibilities, and the humanitarian conditions in Syrian detention camps.