Group of women and children with alleged ISIL ties returns to Australia

Australian Federal Police have not made any arrests but say inquiries are ongoing.Published On 27 May 2026A group of 19 women and children with alleged links to ISIL (ISIS) has returned to Australia, with the government warning that anyone found to have engaged in criminal activity will be prosecuted.The six women and 13 children arrived from a Syrian refugee camp on Tuesday, with one group landing in Sydney and the other in Melbourne.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Austrian pleads guilty to ISIL-planned attack on Taylor Swift concertlist 2 of 3ISIL-linked Australian women arrested at airportslist 3 of 3Turkish and Syrian officials detain 10 individuals with alleged ISIL tiesend of listIt is the second cohort of Australian women and children to return from Syria this month. Responding to criticism over their arrival, the Australian government said it had not assisted them in any capacity.“These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation,” Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke said.Australian women began travelling to Syria to marry members of ISIL in 2012, with some allegedly taken against their will.At the height of its power in 2015, ISIL controlled territory across Syria and Iraq roughly equivalent in size to the United Kingdom.Australian Federal Police did not arrest any members of the group upon their arrival but said that investigations were ongoing.The group’s return has sparked anger in some sections of Australian society.According to local media, a large police presence was deployed at Melbourne airport, where a scuffle reportedly broke out as the group of women and children was escorted out through a side entrance.Australia is one of several Western countries that have shown reluctance to repatriate citizens who travelled to the Middle East to join ISIL about a decade ago.