Final Return: Australian Woman Suspected of IS Links Comes Home

The final Australian woman detained in the Middle East amid suspected ties to the Islamic State has been approved for repatriation, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced on Thursday.

Dozens of Australian women and children have been returning from squalid Syrian detention camps where they were held for years following the collapse of the Islamic State caliphate.

In many cases, the women traveled to the region to follow husbands who had become jihadist fighters, a phenomenon that led to them being commonly labeled “IS brides” upon their return.

The unnamed woman is the last of over 30 women and children repatriated to Australia.

Burke explained that authorities had previously blocked her return via a temporary exclusion order, which has now lapsed, preventing the government from legally denying entry to an Australian citizen.

She will re-enter Australia under strict security measures, including extensive surveillance and restrictions on internet and telephone usage, Burke said.

‘A very high level of scrutiny and monitoring will be imposed, and we are operating at the full legal extent of our authority,’ Burke stated.

Three women arrested upon their earlier return this year face charges ranging from slavery to participation in a terrorist organization.

Hundreds of women from Western nations were attracted to the Middle East during the rise of the Islamic State.

Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other nations continue to grapple with how to handle citizens who remain stranded after the group’s collapse.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has called on the government to facilitate the repatriation of women and children detained in Syria’s notorious camps.

Conversely, some have criticized these women for abandoning Australia and argue they should face the consequences.

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