Three women among 13 Australians returning from Syria were arrested at airports on Thursday on charges related to slavery and terrorism within the former Islamic State group’s so-called caliphate, according to police. The group, consisting of four women and nine children who had been living in Roj Camp in the Syrian desert, arrived on two Qatar Airways flights from Doha the day after the Australian government announced their plan to come back.
Stephen Nutt, the Australian federal police assistant commissioner for counterterrorism, stated that a 53-year-old woman arriving at Melbourne Airport would be charged with four crimes against humanity, including possessing a slave and engaging in slave trading by Friday. Another 31-year-old woman landing in Melbourne would face charges related to slavery offenses, each carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. A third woman, aged 32, who arrived at Sydney airport with her son, would be charged with being a member of a terrorist organization and staying in a region controlled by such an organization, with each charge carrying a potential maximum sentence of 10 years.
Traveling to the former Islamic State group stronghold of Raqqa without a valid reason from 2014 to 2017 became a criminal offense under Australian law. Initially condemned by the Australian government for supporting Islamic State militants by traveling to Syria, the women had been denied repatriation assistance.
Australian authorities have been investigating potential Australian involvement in atrocities in Syria for over a decade. Deakin University extremism expert Joshua Roose highlighted ongoing investigations into abuses within the caliphate, such as the enslavement of Yazidi women and the enforcement of sharia law.
ABC reporter Bridget Rollason, who was on the flight from Doha to Melbourne, reported that some of the women had spent up to 12 years in Syria, with children born in dire conditions in the camps. Despite facing potential arrest, the women expressed willingness to face consequences for the sake of their children and their desire to bring them back to Australia.
The child welfare-focused aid agency Save the Children previously attempted to compel the Australian government to repatriate citizens from Syrian camps in 2024 but was unsuccessful. Save the Children Australia chief executive Mat Tinkler emphasized the need for authorities to prioritize the welfare of the returning children, as two-thirds of the group are minors.
Australian governments have facilitated the repatriation of Australian women and children from Syrian detention camps on two occasions, while some Australians have returned independently without government support.