Australian Government Declines Assistance to ISIS-Linked Families Seeking Repatriation

The Australian government has declined to assist 34 women and children with alleged ties to the Islamic State (IS) in returning from Syria. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that the government would not provide support or repatriation for these individuals. He stated, "We have no sympathy, frankly, for people who traveled overseas in order to participate in what was an attempt to establish a caliphate to undermine, destroy, our way of life."

The group, consisting of 11 women and 23 children, attempted to leave the Al-Roj camp in northeastern Syria with plans to travel to Australia via Damascus. However, they were turned back due to procedural issues. Albanese noted that if any of these individuals manage to return to Australia independently, they will face the full force of the law if any laws have been broken.

Opposition leader Angus Taylor has called on the government to consider using temporary exclusion orders to prevent the return of individuals deemed a national security threat. These orders can block Australians aged 14 and above from entering the country without a permit for up to two years. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated that the government is seeking advice on whether the threshold for such orders has been met.