A group of Australian women and children linked to the Islamic State have obtained commercial airline tickets and are preparing to return to Australia, with plans to depart Damascus within days.
Details of the Return
The group comprises four women and nine children, all Australian citizens, who left the al-Roj detention camp in north-eastern Syria on Saturday. They had been held at the camp for seven years after the collapse of the Islamic State caliphate.
A source with direct knowledge of the arrangements told the Sydney Morning Herald that the return is being organised privately, without assistance from the Australian government. The group expects to fly out of Damascus in the coming days.
Background
These individuals are among the so-called ISIS brides and their children who were captured or surrendered after the fall of the Islamic State's territory. Their repatriation has been a complex issue, with the Australian government previously stating it would not facilitate returns but would not prevent them either.
