Canberra — Australia has imposed a two-year entry ban on a citizen linked to the Islamic State (IS) group, after the individual attempted to return from a Syrian camp earlier this week. The decision comes as 34 Australian women and children—including 23 children—were turned back by Syrian authorities for what officials described as “technical reasons”.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the ban on Wednesday, saying it followed advice from national security agencies. He added that the remaining 33 individuals in the group did not meet the legal threshold required for similar bans.
Government refuses repatriation, says families made their choice
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated that his government would not assist the families in returning to Australia, saying those who travelled to IS territory must face the consequences of their decisions.
“You make your bed, you lie in it,” he said.
“These are people who chose to go overseas to align themselves with a brutal, reactionary ideology that seeks to undermine and destroy our way of life.”
Legal experts, however, note that Australia has a constitutional obligation to allow its citizens to return. Albanese insisted that the government would not break Australian law, especially in cases where individuals hold valid passports.
Years stranded in Syrian camps
The group is part of the wider population of Australians held in camps across northern Syria since 2019, when IS lost its final territory.
They are believed to be wives, widows, and children of IS fighters who were displaced as the group collapsed.
The al-Roj camp, where they are held, houses more than 2,000 detainees from 40 nationalities—mostly women and children. Conditions have been repeatedly described as dire, with shortages of food, healthcare, and essential services.
The camp also reportedly houses Shamima Begum, the UK national stripped of her British citizenship in 2019.
Camp director Hakmiyeh Ibrahim urged foreign governments to take responsibility for their nationals:
“Take your citizens, take these children and women… The more time passes, the more complicated the situation becomes.”
Opposition questions selective security risk assessment
The Australian opposition has raised doubts about the government’s approach, questioning why only one individual was deemed a security risk.
Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam said:
“How can only one member of this group be deemed a risk and the rest somehow okay?”
He also offered bipartisan support to amend laws to restrict more members of the group from returning.
International context
Australia is not alone in refusing to repatriate IS-linked nationals. Countries such as France, the Netherlands, and the UK have similarly declined to bring home the majority of their citizens still held in Syrian camps.
Human rights groups warn that prolonged detention—especially for children—risks entrenching cycles of trauma and radicalisation.