Australian women and children linked to the extremist group Islamic State are returning home from detention camps in Syria, with authorities preparing for their arrival as investigations continue into possible extremist connections.

Australian media reported that several women and children departed northeast Syria and were expected to land in Australia on Thursday night. The group had been held for years in camps established after the collapse of Islamic State’s self-declared caliphate in 2019, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.

The Australian government confirmed that four women and nine children detained in Syria were returning to the country, though officials stressed they would not receive direct government assistance upon arrival.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, one woman and her child boarded a flight to Sydney from Doha, while another group travelled to Melbourne. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the identities of those involved.

Australia’s Home Affairs Ministry did not immediately comment on the travel arrangements, but the Australian Federal Police said some adults in the group could face arrest or criminal charges after landing. Others may remain under active investigation as security agencies assess potential risks.

Officials said the children are expected to enter community reintegration and support programmes aimed at helping them adjust to life in Australia after years spent in unstable camp conditions.

Some of the women travelled to Syria between 2012 and 2016 after their husbands allegedly joined Islamic State during the height of the conflict in Iraq and Syria. Following the militant group’s territorial defeat, thousands of relatives of suspected fighters were detained in camps such as al-Hol and Roj in northeast Syria.

Australia has previously repatriated several women and children from the region, joining other Western countries that have faced growing pressure to bring citizens home from overcrowded detention facilities.

The latest return operation comes amid broader changes in Syria’s security landscape. Earlier this year, the United States began relocating detained Islamic State members and affiliated civilians after the collapse of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which had guarded multiple detention sites housing foreign nationals linked to the militant group.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada