🛂 Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the government will not help repatriate 34 Australian women and children held at the al-Roj detention camp in northeast Syria, a group described as having alleged links to Islamic State relatives 326. Kurdish authorities briefly released the group and they left the camp, but Syrian authorities later turned them back and forced them to return, according to reporting on the attempted departure 461.
In Canberra, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he is seeking advice from security agencies on whether to use Temporary Exclusion Orders in response to the situation 1.
Sources
- Tony Burke ‘taking advice’ from security agencies about Australian women and children in Syria seeking to return [theguardian.com] (2026-02-17)
- Australia rules out repatriating citizens from Syrian camp [dw.com] (2026-02-17)
- Australia won't repatriate 34 women and children from Syria [abcnews.go.com] (2026-02-17)
- Australians with alleged IS ties are turned back after departing Syrian camp for repatriation [abcnews.go.com] (2026-02-17)
- Australian IS families in Syria camp turned back after leaving for home [reddit.com] (2026-02-17)
- Australian PM Albanese says no help for ISIL relatives held in Syria camp [aljazeera.com] (2026-02-17)
Highlights
- Cohort description: The group is described as wives, widows and children of dead or jailed Islamic State fighters, and they have been held at al-Roj in northeast Syria 1.
- Policy handling: Burke’s office said he is seeking advice from security agencies, and it remains unclear how many people in the cohort might face Temporary Exclusion Orders 1.
Perspectives
Australian government (Prime Minister Anthony Albanese): Albanese said his government will not help repatriate the group from al-Roj, despite their Australian citizenship.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke: Burke said he is seeking advice from security agencies on possible Temporary Exclusion Orders, and that it remains unclear how many people the orders might apply to.