Australia repatriates 19 women and children from Syria

A group of 19 Australian women and children with links to the Islamic State militant group have booked flights to return from Syria, the Australian government announced on Tuesday. The group, consisting of seven women and 12 children, is expected to arrive in Sydney and Melbourne, marking the second such repatriation in less than three weeks.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated the government is not assisting their travel and warned that anyone who has committed crimes overseas will face legal consequences. He described the individuals as people who made a horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organization and place their children in an unspeakable situation. Burke emphasized that community safety remains the government's priority and noted that law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been preparing for such returns since 2014, with plans in place to manage and monitor the arrivals.

This latest group follows the return of 13 people, including four women and nine children, earlier in May. Three of those four women were subsequently charged and remain in custody. Two women, aged 53 and 31, were arrested in Melbourne and face slavery charges related to...