Australian Prime Minister Albanese rules out aid for ISIL relatives in Syrian camp

Australian Government Announces No Repatriation for Women and Children Held in Roj Detention Camp

A group of 34 Australian women and children holding passports were forced to return to the Roj detention camp in northern Syria on Monday. The Australians, who are relatives of suspected ISIL fighters, were initially released from the camp but were later returned due to “technical reasons”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that his government will not provide assistance or repatriation for the women and children. He also warned that those who return to Australia from Syria will face the law if they have committed crimes.

A spokesperson for Australian Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said that individuals in this cohort will be met with the full force of the law if they commit a crime while returning to Australia.

The Australians were released on Monday after being held at the Roj detention camp, which is controlled by Kurdish forces. The group was handed over to relatives who had traveled from Australia to collect them. However, halfway through their journey to Damascus, Kurdish escorts were ordered to turn back due to lack of permission to enter government-held territory.

The Australian government has faced criticism for its handling of the repatriation of citizens from Syria. A humanitarian organisation, Save the Children Australia, filed a lawsuit in 2023 on behalf of 11 women and 20 children seeking their repatriation, citing Australia’s moral and legal responsibility to its citizens. The Federal Court ruled against Save the Children, stating that the Australian government did not control their detention in Syria.

In recent months, there have been concerns about the return of Australian citizens from Syria following a deadly attack at a Jewish festival in Sydney.

Source: Al Jazeera