A group of 34 Australian women and children linked to the Islamic State faced a sudden reversal in their long-awaited return home, as plans to leave a camp in northern Syria fell through on Monday.
After nearly seven years confined in Roj detention camp of women and children from different countries remain in camps across northern Syria. Roj detention camp alone houses over 2,000 people from 40 nations, most of them minors and women associated with former IS fighters.
Among them is Shamima Begum, who lost her British citizenship in 2019 on security grounds after traveling to the Middle East as a teenager.
Hakmiyeh Ibrahim, co-director of the camp, spoke to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, urging countries to take responsibility for their nationals. "My message is not only to Australia but to all countries: take your citizens, take these children and women," she said, noting that the children are being raised amid "dangerous ideas and ideologies."
She added, "We brought families of ISIS-affiliated women and children here in 2017 and now it's 2026. The more time passes, the more complicated the situation becomes."
Canberra stressed that its security agencies continue to monitor Syria closely. "Our security agencies have been monitoring - and continue to monitor - the situation in Syria to ensure they are prepared for any Australians seeking to return to Australia," the government said, highlighting that any individuals who have committed crimes will face "the full force of the law."
In 2022, Australia repatriated a smaller group from the camp—four women and 13 children,which triggered public criticism. Meanwhile, the UK has maintained its position on Shamima Begum strip her citizenship will be defended robustly.
Although the European Court of Human Rights has called for review, British courts have upheld the move.
Begum, who was 15 when she traveled from east London to IS-held territory and married a fighter, remains a focal point in global debates over citizenship, national security, and the fate of those tied to extremist groups abroad.
