Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says 13 Australian women and children linked to alleged Islamic State (IS) fighters in Syria are due to return to Australia. The group comprises four women and nine children who have been living in Roj camp. Australian authorities say the group’s travel booking was made recently and that they are expected to fly into Australia within days, with local reporting indicating arrivals in Sydney and Melbourne on Thursday.
Burke says the government is placing “very serious limits” on what authorities can do to prevent Australians re-entering the country and states that Australia will not provide government assistance to the group. Multiple outlets report that some of the returning individuals may face arrest or charges on arrival, reflecting that Australian law enforcement will assess their circumstances when they enter the country.
Across the reports, the key points are the confirmation of the group’s size and composition, the expectation of near-term arrival from Syria, the claim that the government is not assisting, and the warning that legal action may follow for some people.
