The Renewed Push for Home: Latest Departure from Roj Camp
In a dramatic development that has reignited national debate, four Australian women along with nine of their children and grandchildren—totaling 13 individuals from four families—departed the Al-Roj refugee camp in northeastern Syria on April 24, 2026. Escorted by Syrian interior forces and police vehicles, the group boarded buses bound for Damascus, marking their second major attempt to return to Australia in just two months. This follows a failed bid in February when 34 Australians were forced to turn back due to procedural hiccups between Syrian authorities and Kurdish camp managers.
The Al-Roj camp, managed by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has long been a holding facility for relatives of Islamic State (ISIS) fighters defeated in 2019. Unlike the larger and more notorious Al-Hol camp, which has seen closures and transfers amid shifting power dynamics in Syria, Al-Roj remains operational with around 2,200 residents from over 50 nationalities. Reports describe the conditions as squalid, with inadequate food, water, healthcare, and rampant violence, including stabbings and murders linked to ideological clashes.
Supporters, including Sydney doctor Jamal Rifi who has advocated for the families, hailed the coordination as 'perfect' this time. Camp director Hakmiyeh Ibrahim confirmed the release, noting it was facilitated between SDF and the Syrian government. However, the Australian government has reiterated its firm stance: no logistical support or repatriation assistance will be provided.
Who Are the Families Seeking Return?
The women, often labeled 'ISIS brides' in media, are primarily widows or relatives of Australian men who joined ISIS between 2014 and 2017. Many hail from Sydney and Melbourne suburbs, having traveled to Syria or Iraq during the group's caliphate peak. Their stories vary: some claim they followed husbands unknowingly into conflict zones, others admit to supporting the cause but now seek redemption for their children.
Key figures from the February group include:
- Nesrine Zahab: Sydney woman who married fighter Ahmed Merhi for 'survival' after arriving on a supposed aid trip.
- Sumaya and Aminah Zahab: Sisters/mother linked to recruiter Muhammad Zahab, killed in 2018 airstrike.
- Zeinab and Kawsar Abbas: Melbourne family trapped during a wedding trip; husband Mohammed imprisoned.
- Kirsty Rosse-Emile: Married Nabil Kadmiry, whose citizenship was stripped.
- Hodan Abby: Teenage recruit from Sydney, daughter injured by shrapnel.
- Others: Janai Safar, Kawsar Kanj, Hyam Raad, Zahra Ahmad.
Children, some born in camps, face no charges but endure trauma. Ages range from toddlers to teens, many never knowing Australia.
Dire Conditions Fueling the Exodus
Al-Roj and Al-Hol camps house tens of thousands post-ISIS defeat, with violence surging in 2026 amid SDF losses to Syrian forces. Al-Hol, once 60,000-strong, has partially closed, displacing residents. Reports detail frequent killings, radicalization by holdouts, and humanitarian crises: malnutrition, disease outbreaks, no education. UN and NGOs warn children risk becoming the next ISIS generation.
Aid groups like Save the Children urge repatriation, citing 'inhuman' conditions breeding extremism. Kurdish managers, strained, seek transfers.
Australia's Unwavering Policy: No Assistance
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government maintains: 'Australia is not and will not repatriate people from Syria.' Spokesperson: 'If they committed crimes, full force of the law awaits.' Deputy PM Richard Marles and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke emphasize monitoring, passports as legal duty only. One woman faces a Temporary Exclusion Order (TEO), barring entry up to two years.
Albanese quipped in February: 'If you make your bed, you lie in it.' Opposition calls for criminalizing aid to returnees.
Past Repatriations: Selective and Controversial
Australia prioritized vulnerable cases:
- 2019: 8 orphans, including Khaled Sharrouf's grandchildren.
- 2022: 4 women, 13 children after vetting.
- 2025: 6 self-returned via Lebanon.
~40 remain, mostly Roj. Process involves intelligence assessments, deradicalisation prep.
Security Risks vs Humanitarian Imperative
Pro-return: UN experts demand repatriation; children innocent, camps radicalize (Save the Children: 'Unmanaged returns inevitable'). Legal experts: Citizenship obligations.
Against: Public polls show majority oppose women return (overwhelming per media). Risks: Ideological taint, past plots by returnees.
Australia's Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) programs exist for returnees: counseling, monitoring, community integration. Success mixed globally.
International Comparisons
Over 50 countries face similar dilemmas. US transferred fighters to Iraq; Europe repatriated thousands (e.g., France, Germany phased returns with trials). Kazakhstan, Russia took many. Australia selective, like UK/Canada cautious.
Syria's 2026 shifts (govt reclaiming SDF areas) accelerate releases, pressuring holdouts.
Public Opinion and Political Divide
Debate polarizes: Security hawks decry 'rewards for terrorists'; humanitarians focus on kids' trauma. Polls: Strong opposition to adult women, sympathy for children. Coalition pushes TEO expansions; Greens urge compassion.
Challenges Ahead: Reintegration and Monitoring
If successful, returnees face ASIO vetting, possible charges (terrorism financing, etc.), TCOs restricting movement. Derad: Tailored programs via state agencies. Families split: some relatives welcome, others disown.
Photo by Benny Hassum on Unsplash
Outlook: Uncertain Futures Amid Geopolitical Shifts
As Syria stabilizes under Assad, camps empty, pressuring Australia. Experts warn prolonged detention exports insecurity. Balance: Child welfare, national safety. Ongoing saga tests policy resilience.
