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Two Australian women and four children have successfully escaped a detention facility in Syria and made their own way back to the state of Victoria, while demands increase on the government of Australia to repatriate its nationals.

The Escape Journey

The two women and four children – with identities kept confidential – fled the notorious Al-Hol camp in north-east Syria, travelling more than 500km to cross the Lebanese border, where they secured official papers from Australia in the capital of Lebanon.

They underwent identity and security screenings in the Lebanese capital, before flying to Australia by a commercial flight recently.

Australians in Syrian Camps

There are approximately forty Australian nationals – the majority being minors – held in detention camps in northern Syria. They are the family members of slain or jailed Islamic State fighters.

Roughly thirty-four Australians – fourteen women and twenty children – have been held in the Roj camp near the border with Turkey, largely since 2019. Some of the children were born in the camp, and know no life outside it. A smaller number of Australian citizens are understood to have been detained at Al-Hol nearer to Iraq.

Not a single detainee has, currently, been faced criminal charges or is subject to an arrest warrant.

Dangers of Self-Repatriation

Sources with knowledge say the informal and ad hoc escape to Lebanon put the children at risk and that the females were detained in Lebanon when attempting to cross the frontier. These sources argue that official and managed returns are much more secure, allowing for assistance programs to be put in place for those returning, and for security services in the country to be prepared for the returns.

Camp Conditions

The situation in Syrian detention facilities are extremely poor, with widespread hunger, illness and outbreaks of violence. A recently published analysis described a “unstable security” situation and a “health emergency”.

“Facilities in the camps are inadequate and overwhelmed and housing insufficient, with flooding and fires making life dangerous. Displaced youth experience serious psychological trauma and psychological issues and mental health care is insufficient. Many children in the camp have no relatives, making them particularly vulnerable to extremist influence.”

Advocacy groups describe conditions in the camps as “life-threatening”. The Al-Hol facility, housing thirty thousand individuals – over fifty percent being minors – is regarded as notably unstable and dangerous.

Government Repatriation Efforts

Over an extended period, the national government has been under growing demands from relatives, legal representatives, and activist organizations to repatriate its citizens. The government has undertaken two limited repatriations: in 2019, eight orphaned children, including a expectant teen, were repatriated to NSW, and in October 2022, four females and thirteen children were brought back, also to New South Wales.

A legal action in federal court to force the authorities to return its citizens was unsuccessful, with the judges ruling there was no legal obligation on the administration.

However, the full bench of the court did find: “if the commonwealth has the political will to bring the … women and children back to Australia, on the evidence before the court, it would be a relatively straightforward exercise”.

Global Perspective

The US, which funds the bulk of security operations across north-east Syria, urges nations such as Australia to repatriate their nationals, and is even offering to help return foreign citizens.

A report to Congress argued: “the only durable solution to the severe humanitarian and security problems in the detention facilities and DP camps is repatriation. That is why the US urges all countries to repatriate their nationals from northeastern Syria.”

Official Statements

An Australian government spokesperson said Syria was becoming “more volatile”.

“The Australian government is not providing assistance and is not conducting repatriations in Syrian displaced persons camps.

“If any of those people find their own way to return, our security agencies are confident in their readiness and will be able to ensure public security.”

The representative said national authorities had “been monitoring these individuals for some time”.

“We trust our institutions.

“Our travel advice still recommend Australians do not travel to Syria due to the dangerous security situation and threat of armed conflict.”

Local Law Enforcement Readiness

A Victoria Police spokesperson said police were aware nationals in Syrian facilities may look to return home.

“When necessary, local police collaborates with state and federal agencies to assist with the reintegration of women and children who come back to the state from Syrian detention centers.”