Australian women suspected of ISIL ties return from Syria

Australian Police Plan for Return of Women and Children from Syria

A group of 13 Australians, including four women and nine children, are expected to arrive in the country on Thursday evening. The Australian Federal Police have confirmed that some members of the group will be taken into custody upon arrival.

According to Commissioner Krissy Barrett, the police will arrest and charge individuals with alleged links to the ISIL (ISIS) armed group. The children will receive psychological support and participate in programs focused on countering violent extremism and community integration.

The women and children had been living in the Roj camp in northeastern Syria. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has condemned the women for traveling to Syria, stating that they made an “appalling, disgraceful decision”. He warned that anyone found to have committed offenses would face prosecution.

The Australian government did not assist the group’s return, but acknowledges the legal limits on preventing Australian citizens from returning to the country. Authorities have been investigating citizens who traveled to Syria to join ISIL since 2015.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counterterrorism has urged Australia to prioritize the welfare and protection of the returning women and children while ensuring that any law enforcement action is “proportionate” and “justified”. The group’s arrival in Australia marks a significant development in the country’s response to individuals who traveled to Syria to join ISIL.

Source: Al Jazeera