Kurdish authorities in Syria have freed 34 Australian relatives of ISIL fighters held at the Roj camp in northern Syria. These Australians will be flown from Damascus back to Australia. Hakmieh Ibrahim, a director at Roj camp, told AFP, “Today, we are handing over 11 families who hold Australian nationality to their relatives.” She added, “These families are the last Australians in the Roj camp.” Around 2,201 people from about 50 countries remain in the camp. The released families were taken by small buses to Damascus, escorted by military vehicles before departure. Thousands linked to ISIL have been held at Roj and the nearby al-Hol camp since ISIL lost control of Syria in 2019. Recently, Syrian government forces took control of al-Hol after clashes with Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The Australian government said it will not actively repatriate people from Syria but is monitoring the situation. It stated, “People in this cohort need to know that if they have committed a crime and if they return to Australia they will be met with the full force of the law.” The government confirmed, “The safety of Australians and the protection of Australia’s national interests remain the overriding priority.” Human rights groups warn that about 20,000 children in camps face risks like exploitation amid worsening security. Many countries, including Australia and the UK, are slow to bring back their citizens. One high-profile camp resident, UK-born Shamima Begum, lost her citizenship for joining ISIL and remains in Roj camp. She continues legal efforts to regain citizenship but was denied by an appeals court in February 2024.