CANBERRA – Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued a stern warning to a group of 34 Australian women and children currently attempting to return from Syria, declaring they will face the “full force of the law” upon arrival.
The group, comprised of 11 families previously held at the Al-Roj displacement camp in northeast Syria, began their journey on Monday. While Kurdish-led forces initially released the cohort to travel toward Damascus, reports indicate the group was briefly turned back due to “technical reasons.” However, they are expected to resume their journey to Australia shortly, accompanied by relatives who travelled from Australia to facilitate their exit.
“No Assistance” Policy
Despite the high-profile nature of the move, the federal government has doubled down on its refusal to assist in the repatriation. Speaking to the ABC on Tuesday, the Prime Minister rejected calls for government-funded extraction, using a blunt domestic analogy to describe the situation.
“My mother would have said, ‘If you make your bed, you lie in it,’” Mr. Albanese said. “These are people who went overseas supporting Islamic State… if there are any breaches of the law, they will face the full force of the law if they come back.”
The government maintains that while it will not proactively repatriate the group—as it did for 17 citizens in 2022—it cannot legally prevent Australian citizens from returning if they reach an embassy or board a flight independently.
Security and Political Backlash
The imminent arrival has sparked a fierce political firestorm:
- The Opposition: Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam has called for Temporary Exclusion Orders, which could block their return for up to two years while monitoring conditions are established.
- Security Monitoring: The Department of Home Affairs confirmed that intelligence agencies are tracking the group’s movements.
- Humanitarian Concerns: Groups like Save the Children argue that the government has a moral obligation to the children, many of whom have lived their entire lives in squalid camp conditions.
A Legal Minefield
Since the fall of the ISIS caliphate in 2019, the fate of “ISIS brides” has remained a legal headache for Canberra. Under Australian law, travelling to certain conflict zones like Al-Raqqa between 2014 and 2017 is a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Security officials believe the return is being coordinated by figures within the Australian Muslim community rather than state agencies. As the group nears Damascus, the focus now shifts to whether the Australian Federal Police will meet the families on the tarmac with arrest warrants or surveillance orders.
The recent reports of Australian families attempting to return from Syria reveal a significant shift in how these cases are handled. While previous returns in 2019 and 2022 were government-led military operations, the current movement is a privately organised, “self-managed” return.
Security officials and government briefings indicate that the logistical backbone of this return is being provided by community figures and relatives rather than the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
1. Key Community Figures & Organizations
The “return” is reportedly being facilitated by a network of families and human rights advocates who have grown frustrated with government inaction.
- Family Advocates: Figures like Kamalle Dabboussy, whose daughter and grandchildren were among those in the camps, have long been at the forefront. Dabboussy and other relatives have reportedly coordinated with local drivers and intermediaries in Syria to move families from the Al-Roj camp toward Damascus.+1
- The “Sydney Doctor” Allegations: Recent reports in The West Australian (February 2026) mention a prominent Sydney-based doctor and well-respected figure in the Muslim community who is believed to be coordinating the latest group. This individual is acting as a liaison between the families and the logistical teams on the ground in the Middle East
- Save the Children: While not a “Muslim community figure,” this NGO has provided the legal and advocacy framework. After losing a Federal Court bid in 2024 to force the government to repatriate citizens, the focus shifted to supporting families in their own efforts to reach Australian consular posts.
2. The “No Assistance” Loophole
The Albanese government has adopted a policy of “No Blockages, No Assistance.”
- Passports: Once families reach a safe location (like an embassy in Lebanon or Damascus), the government is legally obligated to issue travel documents to confirmed citizens.
- Funding: Unlike previous missions where the RAAF or chartered flights were used, these families are reportedly paying for their own commercial flights and ground transport using funds raised within the Australian Muslim community.
3. Why Community-Led Coordination?
Community leaders argue that the “self-managed” route is a response to a vacuum of state leadership. They view the return as a humanitarian necessity to save children from deteriorating camp conditions. However, security agencies like the AFP and ASIO have expressed concerns that this “unmanaged” return makes it harder to:
- Perform comprehensive DNA testing before arrival.
- Ensure psychological de-radicalization assessments are completed in a controlled environment.
- Coordinate immediate surveillance or arrest upon landing.