Australia’s centre-left government has rejected media reports claiming it is organizing the repatriation of 34 Australian women and children from a Syrian camp holding families of suspected Islamic State (IS) militants.
Government officials said the Sunday Telegraph story alleging that Canberra was preparing to bring the group home was incorrect. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke denied that there were any official preparations, meetings with state authorities or coordinated repatriation efforts underway. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also reaffirmed that the government would not assist the group’s return.
The 34 individuals, believed to be relatives of dead or imprisoned IS fighters, were briefly freed from a camp in northern Syria earlier this week, but were returned to detention due to logistical issues. They are expected to travel to Damascus and potentially onward to Australia, though the government says it is not facilitating this.
The episode has become a politically sensitive issue in Australia, where there has been growing support for the anti-immigration One Nation party, which opposes repatriation. Membership in IS is a serious criminal offence in Australia, punishable by up to 25 years in prison, and the government has powers to strip citizenship from dual nationals linked to the group.
Australia has previously repatriated some citizens from conflict-zone camps in Syria, but officials have repeatedly emphasized that national security concerns remain paramount in any decision on returns.