Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke stated on 20/2 that the country's security agencies assessed the detainee as posing "a significant risk" and therefore should be banned from returning. This individual is one of 34 Australian citizens currently held at Al-Roj, a detention facility for members of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.
Burke added that security agencies have not recommended applying a temporary entry ban to the other 33 individuals in the group. He did not disclose the identity of the citizen subject to the ban, nor its duration.
Under the law, Minister Burke has the authority to issue temporary entry bans to prevent high-risk citizens from returning to Australia for a maximum period of two years.
 |
A group of Australian women and children preparing to leave a refugee camp in Syria on 15/2. Photo: *Middle East Images* |
IS fighters, along with their wives and children, have been held in camps such as Al-Roj since the group's defeat in Syria in 2019. Despite losing territory, IS maintains remnant groups to carry out terrorist attacks in the region.
Australian media reported on 17/2 that 11 women and 23 children departed the Al-Roj detention camp in the Kurdish-controlled area of northeastern Syria on 16/2. Their intention was to travel to the capital Damascus and then fly back to Australia. However, the group was forced to return shortly after leaving due to "poor coordination between their relatives and authorities in Damascus".
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on 18/2 reiterated his government's position not to support the repatriation of the 34 individuals detained at Al-Roj. "These are people who chose to go abroad to pledge allegiance to the 'Islamic State' ideology, which is brutal, reactionary, and seeks to undermine and destroy our way of life," Albanese told reporters.
Thousands of people, including women, from various countries traveled to Syria over a decade ago to join IS, start families, and have children there. Many of them are accused of committing numerous crimes against civilians.
"We are doing nothing to repatriate or assist them. It is regrettable that children are caught up in this situation, which was not their decision, but that of their parents," the Australian Prime Minister added.
The issue of repatriating citizens who are relatives of IS members is a contentious topic in Australia. Some political leaders view these individuals as a threat to national security, while other opinions call for the government to support Australian citizens detained in "terrible" conditions.
The Australian government has previously repatriated Australian women and children from detention camps in Syria on two occasions. Some other citizens have also returned independently without government assistance.
Huyen Le (According to AP)
