Australian Government Declines to Bring Back Citizens Linked to ISIS
Australia's top leader has announced that the country will not be retrieving its citizens who have ties to the members of ISIS. The leader conveyed this message to families stuck in Syria, with a straightforward saying, "You made your choice, now you must live with it."
Failed Attempt to Return Home
The leader's remarks came after news that 34 Australian women and children were denied entry by Syrian officials when they tried to leave a detention camp where ISIS militants and their families were housed. They had hoped to return to Australia via Syria's capital, Damascus.
A representative from the detention center explained that two male family members had arrived at the camp, asking for their relatives to be released. They claimed to have arranged with Syrian officials to transport their family from the camp to Damascus and then to Australia. They showed temporary Australian passports reportedly issued for the families.
After agreeing to their request, the families were transported by bus. However, shortly after their departure, they were informed that no arrangements had been made with Damascus, so they had to return to the camp. The camp officials were puzzled as to why they were sent back even though they seemed to have valid temporary Australian passports.
Australia's Stance
When asked about the detainees' Australian passports, the country's leader declined to confirm any personal information. He emphasized that Australia is offering no support and will not be repatriating these individuals. He expressed no sympathy for those who chose to travel overseas to participate in the establishment of a caliphate aimed at destroying our way of life.
It remains uncertain why the families were turned away from Damascus and whether they will be able to try again.
International Pressure and Humanitarian Concerns
Various countries, including Australia, the US, and the UK, have been facing increasing pressure to repatriate thousands of their citizens, mostly women and children. These individuals have been stuck in Syrian detention camps since the fall of the Caliphate over five years ago.
Organizations like Amnesty International have warned about widespread human rights abuses in these camps. Detainees, many of whom were forcibly trafficked to ISIS or born into the Caliphate, are reportedly subjected to torture, gender-based violence, forced disappearance, and other atrocities.
While some countries have commenced the legally and politically complicated process of repatriating their citizens, progress has been sluggish due to national security worries and domestic opposition.
Previous Repatriation Efforts
The detention center where the 34 Australians were living also houses a London schoolgirl who ran away at the age of 15 to join ISIS in 2015 and was subsequently stripped of her British citizenship.
Previously, Australia has brought back groups of women and children linked to ISIS from Syrian refugee camps. Last year, two Australian women and four children managed to escape Syria on their own and returned home via Lebanon without any assistance from Australian authorities.
A representative from the Australian government asserted that the country is not planning to repatriate individuals from Syria. They stated that their security agencies have been closely monitoring the situation in Syria to prepare for the potential return of any Australians.
Those returning should be aware that if they have committed a crime, they will face the full force of the law upon their return to Australia.
Advocacy for the Detained
Save the Children has been a strong advocate for Australian citizens in Syrian detention. They unsuccessfully took the federal government to court to force officials to bring them home. The organization is not involved in the Australians' recent attempt to leave the camp but urged the government to repatriate them.
The CEO of Save the Children Australia stated that these innocent children have already lost years of their childhood. They deserve the opportunity to rebuild their lives in safety at home and reintegrate into the Australian way of life.
Uncertainty Following Power Shifts in Syria
With the collapse of Syria's longtime dictator, those living in detention camps face even more uncertainty. The new government has been pushing the Kurdish-led forces, who fought ISIS alongside the US, out of large areas of northern Syria, including the detention camps.
Recently, a group of UN experts urged over 50 countries to urgently repatriate, rehabilitate, and reintegrate the thousands of foreign nationals in detention, while ensuring accountability in line with international law.
Earlier this week, it was reported that a significant number of residents had left another major detention camp in Syria. The Syrian government plans to relocate them.