A group of Australian families with links to Islamic State fighters have been forced to turn around after leaving a camp in Syria to try and begin their journey home to Australia.
Syrian media reported 11 families, with 24 people in total, left the Al Roj camp in north-eastern Syria on Monday morning, local time.
The ABC was told there were actually 34 people in the group, and that the families were heading to the Syrian capital Damascus where they would plan their onward travel to Australia.
The ABC was also told Australian passports had already been issued to the families.
But shortly after leaving the camp, Syrian government authorities are not allowing the convoy of Australian families to head to the capital, and they are now having to return to Al-Roj camp, the ABC has been told.
The convoy was being escorted by Kurdish security forces, who remain in control of a small section of north-eastern Syria — including where the Al-Roj camp is.
A message was passed to the Australian families by the Kurdish escorts, saying Syrian authorities would not allow them to continue their journey.
In a statement, the federal government said it would not help the families return to Australia.
“The Australian government is not and will not repatriate people from Syria,” it said.
“Our security agencies have been monitoring — and continue to monitor — the situation in Syria to ensure they are prepared for any Australians seeking to return to Australia.
“People in this cohort need to know that if they have committed a crime and if they return to Australia they will be met with the full force of the law.
“The safety of Australians and the protection of Australia’s national interests remain the overriding priority.”
The Australian government did not confirm whether it had issued passports to the group.
‘Take your citizens’: Camp urges Australia to repatriate families
Dozens of Australian women and children were detained in Syrian camps and prisons after the so-called Islamic State “caliphate” was defeated by US-led forces in 2019.
The women were the partners — or were believed to be by authorities — of jailed or killed members of the terrorist group.
The first group of Australians, consisting of four women and 13 children, were released from the Al-Roj detention camp back in 2022.
As of last year there were still more than 30 Australians in the camp who wanted to return home, one of the women told the ABC.
‘You don’t know my story’: Australian women who lived under ISIS beg to come home
The camp’s director, Hakmiyeh Ibrahim, earlier this month told the ABC she had urged foreign governments to try and bring their citizens home.
“My message is not only to Australia but to all countries: take your citizens, take these children and women,” she said.
Ms Ibrahim said time was of the essence because children were growing up surrounded by “dangerous ideas and ideologies” in the camp.
“We brought families of ISIS-affiliated women and children here in 2017 and now it’s 2026,” she said.
“The more time passes, the more complicated the situation becomes.”
Loading