Second Attempt by Australian ISIS-Linked Families to Leave Syrian Camp Met with Government Refusal to Repatriate
Introduction
A group of four Australian women and nine children and grandchildren, all linked to the Islamic State, left the Al-Roj detention camp in northeastern Syria on April 24, 2025, in a second attempt to return to Australia. The Australian government has repeated that it will not help them return.
Main Body
The departure of the 13 individuals was arranged with the Syrian government, according to Hakmiyeh Ibrahim, director of the Al-Roj camp. Ibrahim stated that the operation was carried out without problems and that the Syrian authorities were helping the group travel to Damascus for a flight onwards. She added that no further departures of Australian citizens from the camp were planned. This event is the second such attempt by this group; a previous attempt in February 2025, involving a larger group of 34 women and children, was stopped about 50 kilometers into the journey due to a reported failure to coordinate with Syrian authorities. The Australian government’s position has consistently been not to get involved. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, when questioned on April 25, refused to give detailed comments, citing the importance of Anzac Day, but stated that the government was not bringing people back from Syria. A government spokesperson later confirmed that the federal government ‘is not and will not bring people back from Syria,’ while noting that security agencies continue to monitor the situation to prepare for any Australians who might try to return on their own. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had previously expressed strong disapproval, stating in February that he had ‘no sympathy’ for the women and that they must accept the consequences of their choices. Political reactions have been divided. Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam called on the government to prevent the group’s return, describing the women as having chosen loyalty to a terrorist organization over Australian values. The opposition has also criticized the government for issuing new passports to the group, which they are entitled to as citizens. Separately, Dr. Jamal Rifi, a Western Sydney physician who traveled to Syria earlier in 2025 with passports, indicated that several alternative plans existed for bringing them back, despite the February failure and regional instability. He described the families’ conditions in the camp as difficult and emphasized that their safety was the priority. Legal and humanitarian issues have also arisen. In 2023, Save the Children Australia filed a lawsuit seeking the return of 11 women and 20 children from the camp, but the Federal Court ruled against the organization, deciding that the Australian government did not control their detention in Syria. The broader political context includes a national debate on migration and extremism, following an alleged Islamic State-inspired attack in Bondi and a rise in support for the anti-immigration One Nation party. Some mothers from the group have stated they would willingly face charges in Australia for terrorism offenses if it meant securing their children’s release from the camp.
Conclusion
The current situation of the 13 individuals remains uncertain, as they are traveling to Damascus with Syrian government assistance. The Australian government maintains its refusal to bring them back, while security agencies remain alert for any one-sided attempts to return. The group’s future depends on diplomatic coordination and legal options, which have so far been unsuccessful.