Damascus warned it would strike Australian convoy after Canberra failed to coordinate

Summary

Syrian government officials told Kurdish forces they would "strike" a convoy of 34 Australian women and children leaving the al-Roj camp on 16 February unless the group halted, a Kurdish intelligence officer said. The group — 11 women and 23 children linked by family ties to alleged IS members — were travelling under Kurdish escort toward Qamishli and then Damascus with paperwork relatives brought from Australia. Kurdish authorities said Damascus phoned to say the convoy would be targeted if it entered government-controlled territory because the Australian government had not coordinated the movement; Syrian ministries did not respond to requests for comment but a Syrian official said Damascus only learned of the plan after the group departed.

The convoy turned back and the return left many distressed, with medical incidents reported and residents fearing reprisals inside the camp. The episode has intensified a political row in Australia: the Albanese government says it will not facilitate returns and has imposed at least one temporary exclusion order, while opposition politicians seek tougher measures to block re-entry. Rights groups argue Australia has an obligation to repatriate its citizens, particularly children, and call for protections rather than further restrictions, as reported by The Guardian