Australia rejects report it is repatriating families of IS militants from Syrian camp

Feb 22 (Reuters) – Australia’s centre-left government on Sunday rejected a local media report that said it was working to repatriate Australians in a Syrian camp holding families of suspected Islamic State militants.

The 34 women and children were released on Monday from the camp in northern Syria, but returned to the detention centre due to technical reasons. The group is expected to travel to Damascus before eventually returning to Australia, despite objections from ruling and opposition lawmakers.

On Sunday, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke rejected claims made in a report in the Sunday Telegraph, asserting that official preparations were under way for the cohort’s return.

“In that report, it makes a claim that we are conducting a repatriation. We are not,” Burke told Australian Broadcasting Corp television.

“It claims we have been meeting with the states for the purposes of a repatriation. We have not,” Burke added.

 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who leads Australia’s Labor Party, said this week his government would not help the group return to Australia.

The return of relatives of suspected IS militants is a political issue in Australia, which has seen a surge in popularity of the right-wing, anti-immigration One Nation party led by Pauline Hanson.

Islamic State, the Sunni Muslim militant group, is listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia, with membership of the group punishable by up to 25 years in prison. Australia also has the power to strip dual nationals of citizenship if they are an Islamic State member.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith in SydneyEditing by Rod Nickel)