Three women out of 13 Australians who returned from Syria were arrested at airports on Thursday on charges related to slavery and terrorism within the former Islamic State group’s caliphate, according to police. The group, consisting of four women and nine children who had been residing in Roj Camp in the Syrian desert, arrived on two Qatar Airways flights from Doha on Thursday following the Australian government’s announcement of their repatriation.
Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism, Stephen Nutt, stated that a 53-year-old woman arriving at Melbourne Airport would be charged with crimes against humanity, including possession of a slave and involvement in slave trading, by Friday. Another 31-year-old woman landing in Melbourne would face charges for two slavery-related offenses, each carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. A third woman, aged 32, who arrived in Sydney with her son, would be charged with membership in a terrorist organization and being in a region controlled by a terrorist group, with each offense carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
It became illegal under Australian law to travel to Raqqa, the former stronghold of the Syrian Islamic State group, between 2014 and 2017 without a valid reason. The Australian government had criticized the women for supporting Islamic State militants by traveling to Syria and had initially refused to assist in their repatriation.
Police have been investigating potential Australian involvement in atrocities in Syria for over a decade. According to Deakin University extremism expert Joshua Roose, authorities are looking into abuses within the caliphate, including the enslavement of Yazidi women and the enforcement of harsh sharia law, with some of the most severe violence reportedly carried out by women.
ABC reporter Bridget Rollason, who was on the flight from Doha to Melbourne, reported that some women claimed to have spent up to 12 years in Syria, with children born in dire conditions in the camps. Despite facing arrest, the women expressed willingness to face the consequences for the sake of their children, who they wanted to bring back to Australia. One woman even mentioned missing coffee and eagerly anticipated enjoying a cup in Melbourne.
The child-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’s CEO, Mat Tinkler, emphasized the need for authorities to prioritize the welfare of the returned children, as two-thirds of the group brought back were children. Tinkler stressed the importance of helping these children reintegrate and lead normal lives in Australia.
Australian governments have facilitated the repatriation of Australian women and children from Syrian detention camps on two occasions, while others have returned independently without government assistance.