Australia leaves fate of ISIS brides to US military; Labor announces first military support package for Ukraine in over a year
The American military has offered to bring the Australian women and children of Islamic State back home from Syria, but the Australian government has blocked the move by refusing to issue them passports.
For six years, Liberal and Labor governments have refused to repatriate the bulk of the Australian citizens from camps in Syria, saying it would be too dangerous for public servants to travel there.
Documents released in estimates late on Tuesday now demonstrate that the 37 remaining women and children could be extracted by the American military without Australians having to set foot in the country.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
An August letter to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, written by the representative of the families, Kamalle Dabboussy, and the head of Save the Children Australia, Mat Tinkler, says the families were prepared to “take control of their own destiny”.
“The US government has offered to provide support for repatriations … The support will be provided by Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve, Syria TCN Repatriations Team – a unit specifically designed to facilitate the repatriation of foreign nationals and with a track record of doing so safely and securely,” the letter said.
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