CANBERRA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said his government will not help to repatriate Australian families with links to Islamic State (IS) who are trying to return to the country from Syria.
A group of 11 women and 23 children began their journey back to Australia by leaving the Kurdish-run Roj Camp in northeast Syria on Monday, but were forced to turn around before reaching Damascus.
Asked about the group during an appearance on Australian Broadcasting Corporation television on Tuesday, Albanese said that the federal government has a very firm view that it will not be providing assistance or repatriation.
"If you make your bed, you lie in it. These are people who went overseas supporting Islamic State and went there to provide support for people who basically want a caliphate," he said.
Tony Burke, minister for home affairs, said on Monday night that security agencies have been monitoring the situation and that the group would face criminal charges over their support for IS if they return to Australia.
Officials at the Roj Camp said on Monday that the group were turned around by Syrian authorities because the transfer had not been authorized, but that talks were underway to reschedule their transfer to Damascus. ■
