Four women repatriated to Australia from a camp in Syria have expressed gratitude for their safe return and apologised for the trouble their Islamic State links have caused.
The mothers and 13 children have been in the al-Roj camp in northeastern Syria following the 2019 fall of IS, having travelled to the country with partners who were members of the militant group.
“We are deeply thankful to be back home in Australia with our children,” the women said in a statement.
“We want to express our regret for the trouble and hurt we have caused, especially to our families.”
The women, who arrived in Sydney on Saturday from Erbil in Iraq, said they wanted to see their children lead a safe and normal life in Australia once they had received medical treatment.
“Together with our children, we have been through a terrible ordeal over many years,” the women said, requesting space, privacy and time to reconnect with loved ones in Australia.
Father Kamalle Dabboussy had an “emotional” reunion with his daughter, one of the four women repatriated.
Mr Dabboussy has spent years lobbying the federal government to help bring back his daughter Mariam and her three children from the displaced persons camp in Syria.
“It’s been an overwhelming day, a joyous day,” Mr Dabboussy said.
“There was hugs and tears, it was a very emotional moment.”
Mr Dabboussy said what happened next to the mothers and children was up to authorities, who are currently interviewing the women.
The mothers, who were partners to IS members, could face continued controls, including ankle monitors and curfews, amid fears they had been radicalised while in Syria.
Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said the women had been cleared to return home after individual assessments by security services.
“At all times the focus has been the safety and security of all Australians as well as the safety of those involved in the operation,” she said.
Her opposition counterpart, Karen Andrews, blasted the move.
“It is inexcusable the actions that have been taken by the Albanese government is putting Australian lives at risk … the risk that is now in our Australian communities here,” she said.
Earlier this month, the Albanese government confirmed the rescue plan with the first people removed assessed as the most vulnerable of those being held.
The federal government worked with Kurdish authorities on the extraction, which reportedly included DNA testing the individuals to prove they were Australian citizens.
Most of the children were born in Syria, meaning they’ll be seeing Australia for the first time.
The group was taken to an unnamed hotel in Sydney and the NSW government is providing them with support services to assist their integration into the community.
Save the Children head Mat Tinkler said the children now had hope but people should not lose track of the roughly 30 remaining women and children yet to be brought home.
“We cannot guarantee their safety unless they are here in Australia,” he said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the safety of Australians was always paramount and the government would continue to act on national security advice.
“We will always act in a way that keeps Australians safe.”
