Australian relatives of dead or imprisoned Daech fighters are on their way to Sydney, local media reported on Friday, as the country embarked on the controversial repatriation of dozens of Australian women and children from refugee camps in Syria.

Australia initially rescued eight children and grandchildren of two dead Islamic State fighters from a Syrian refugee camp in 2019, but has not repatriated anyone else so far.

The Sydney Morning Herald and state broadcaster ABC reported that four women and 13 children left Roj refugee camp in northern Syria on Thursday afternoon and crossed the border into Iraq to board a plane and return home.

A spokesman for Home Affairs Secretary Claire O'Neill declined to comment, citing the sensitivity of the issue.

Local media reported that some of the women may face charges of terrorist offenses or for entering Syria illegally.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday the government would act on advice from national security agencies.

"We will continue to act on the advice of national security, which we have done up to this point," he added. "We will always act in a way that keeps Australia safe."

The decision is causing controversy in Australia and opposition leader Peter Dutton said on Friday the move was not in the country's interest, "especially because they were mixing with people who hate our country and our way of life".

By bringing them home, Australia is following in the footsteps of Belgium, France, the United States and other countries that have moved to repatriate citizens from Syrian camps, but security concerns have slowed the process for some governments, such as Britain's.
Source: Reuters