Australia Bans One Citizen From Returning From Syrian Camp
Tony Burke issued a temporary exclusion order on one Australian in a group of 34 in Syria, blocking return on security advice for up to two years.
Overview
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said he issued a temporary exclusion order barring one Australian citizen from returning from a Syrian detention camp on advice from security agencies.
The person was among a group of 34 women and children who planned to fly from Damascus to Australia but were turned back by Syrian authorities to the al-Roj camp due to procedural problems.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government will not assist repatriation and described those who joined the IS ideology as having chosen to leave Australia.
Opposition Senator Jonno Duniam questioned why only one exclusion order was issued and offered to amend laws, while the camp director, Hakmiyeh Ibrahim, urged countries to retrieve their citizens.
Al-Roj holds more than 2,000 people from about 40 nationalities, and temporary exclusion orders can bar citizens from return for up to two years and cannot be made against children younger than 14.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story around national security and government authority, highlighting official decisions and risk assessments while briefly noting humanitarian concerns. Editorial choices—leading with the ban, emphasizing agency assessments, and foregrounding leaders’ condemnations—prioritize state-security perspectives and underrepresent detainees’ and human-rights viewpoints.
Sources (7)
FAQ
Australia introduced legislation in 2019 that allows the government to issue temporary exclusion orders against Australian citizens aged 14 or older whom security agencies believe pose a security risk. These orders can ban citizens from returning to Australia for up to two years.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated that security agencies have not yet advised that other members of the group of 34 meet the legal threshold for a temporary exclusion order.[1] The decision to issue exclusion orders is based on individual security risk assessments rather than blanket application to all members of the group.
The 34 Australians, primarily women and children, are held at the Al-Roj camp in northeastern Syria, which houses more than 2,000 people from approximately 40 nationalities. The group attempted to return to Australia on Monday but were turned back by Syrian authorities due to inadequate paperwork.
Australia has stated it will not provide any assistance to those held in the camp and is investigating whether any individuals pose a threat to national security. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that the government will not assist repatriation efforts.
The repatriation issue has become politically contentious in Australia, contributing to a surge in support for the right-wing, anti-immigration One Nation party. A recent poll found One Nation's support at a record high of 26%, exceeding the combined support for the traditional center-right coalition currently in opposition.[1]
History
3 sources