Multiple Australian outlets report that a final group of women and children linked to the Islamic State, often described as “IS brides,” is leaving Syria to return to Australia. The articles say two people remain behind, while the rest of the cohort departs. The reporting frames the move as the culmination of efforts associated with Australia’s temporary exclusion order regime, which is described as having enabled the return of many individuals by restricting entry or delaying decisions while security assessments and legal processes occur.
While the sources do not fully detail the identities of those departing or the circumstances of the two remaining individuals, they are consistent that the departure involves women and children connected to IS and that the return process is ongoing rather than fully completed. The outlets present the situation as evidence that the exclusion order approach has played a role in managing returns, though they do not claim it resolves all legal or operational issues. The articles collectively indicate that the remaining two are still in Syria and that Australia’s handling of IS-linked returns continues to depend on case-by-case assessments.
