Omar El Sayed - World Editor

Melbourne, Australia – Australia has prevented a citizen with alleged ties to the Islamic State (IS) group from returning to the country from a detention camp in Syria, marking a significant development in the ongoing debate surrounding the repatriation of Australians linked to the militant organization. The move comes as 34 Australian citizens – 10 women and 23 children – were turned back by Syrian authorities while attempting to travel to Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced Wednesday.

The Australian government issued a temporary exclusion order against the individual, preventing their return for up to two years, Burke stated. While the woman’s identity has not been released, officials confirmed she had emigrated from Australia to Syria between 2013, and 2015. The decision underscores Australia’s firm stance on preventing the return of individuals believed to have supported IS, even as the fate of women and children associated with the group remains a complex and contentious issue.

The group’s attempted return was halted due to unspecified “procedural problems” identified by Syrian authorities, according to Burke. He emphasized that security agencies had not identified any other members of the group as posing a sufficient risk to warrant similar exclusion orders, noting that such orders cannot be applied to children under the age of 14. The use of temporary exclusion orders, introduced in 2019 to prevent the return of defeated Islamic State fighters, marks the first publicly reported instance of its use.

Conflicting Accounts from Roj Camp

At the Roj camp, located in northeastern Syria near the border with Iraq, the Australian women who had anticipated returning home declined to comment to the Associated Press on Wednesday, citing legal advice. Zeinab Ahmad, one of the women, stated they had been instructed by their attorney not to speak to journalists.

Chavrê Rojava, a security official at the camp, described a more complex situation. She stated that family members, identified as Australians of Lebanese origin, had traveled to Syria with temporary passports issued for the potential returnees. Rojava indicated that the camp administration had limited contact with the Australian government regarding the repatriation process, leaving the resolution to the families themselves. According to Rojava, Syrian officials contacted the group after they departed the camp for Damascus, instructing them to return, leaving the families “very disappointed.”

The Broader Context of Repatriation Efforts

Rojava also expressed concerns about a recurrence of the situation at al-Hol camp, a larger facility in northeastern Syria that experienced unrest last month when Syrian government forces and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces clashed. The resulting security vacuum led to the escape of many residents, raising fears of IS regrouping and renewed attacks in Syria. The Syrian government has since taken control of al-Hol and is transferring its remaining residents to a camp in Aleppo province, while the Kurdish-led force maintains control of Roj camp following a recent ceasefire.

The repatriation of foreign nationals linked to IS, including fighters, their wives, and children, has been a complex issue since the militant group lost its territorial control in Syria in 2019. Despite being territorially defeated, IS continues to maintain sleeper cells capable of carrying out attacks in both Syria and Iraq. Australia has previously repatriated Australian women and children from Syrian detention camps on two occasions, with other citizens returning without government assistance.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated Wednesday his government’s position against assisting with the repatriation of this latest group, stating, “These are people who chose to travel overseas to align themselves with an ideology which is the caliphate, which is a brutal, reactionary ideology and that seeks to undermine and destroy our way of life.” He acknowledged the difficult circumstances faced by children caught in the situation, attributing their predicament to the decisions made by their parents, as reported by CT Insider.

The Australian government’s approach to repatriation reflects a broader international debate about how to deal with foreign fighters and their families, balancing national security concerns with humanitarian considerations and legal obligations. The situation at Roj camp, and the fate of those remaining, remains uncertain as international actors continue to grapple with the long-term consequences of the conflict with IS.

What’s Next: The Australian government is unlikely to alter its current policy of limited assistance with repatriation, focusing instead on managing the security risks posed by returning citizens. Further legal challenges to the use of exclusion orders are anticipated, and the situation in Syrian detention camps will continue to be monitored closely.

Share your thoughts on this developing story in the comments below.

Bratislava – Slovakia declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, February 18, in response to disruptions in oil supplies via the Druzhba pipeline. The move, set to grab effect Thursday, prompted the Slovak government to tap into its strategic reserves to ensure the continued operation of the Slovnaft refinery. In a sharply worded statement, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to halt emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine if Kyiv does not resume oil transit through the pipeline. “If the President [Volodymyr Zelenskyy] deems these supplies unimportant, You can decide to withdraw from the agreement on electricity supplies,” Fico announced, according to TVN24.

The declaration of a state of emergency and the release of up to 250,000 tons of oil from strategic reserves are intended to help Slovnaft, owned by Hungarian energy company MOL, secure alternative supply routes following damage to the Druzhba pipeline in Ukraine in late January during Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Business Insider Polska reported.

Fico has repeatedly accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying the restart of the Druzhba pipeline, which delivers Russian oil to Slovakia and Hungary. He alleges that Kyiv is attempting to pressure Budapest, which opposes Ukraine’s membership in the European Union. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry stated that transit was halted due to Russian attacks on infrastructure at the end of January. However, Fico expressed distrust in both accounts, stating, “I don’t grasp who bombed the oil infrastructure in Ukraine. Both sides have lied so many times that I wouldn’t dare say,” Energetyka24.com reported. He believes the situation has become a matter of “political blackmail.”

Slovakia continues to purchase both oil and gas from Russia, citing a lack of access to sea terminals and the high costs associated with diversifying its supply sources. The issue of energy supplies was also discussed during a meeting between Fico and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Bratislava. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in the field of nuclear energy, following the signing of an agreement between Slovakia and the United States in January, according to TVN24.

Fico Accuses Ukraine, Claims “Both Sides Lied”

Premier Fico’s accusations extend beyond simply delaying the pipeline’s restart. He suggests a deliberate attempt to harm Slovakia’s energy security. He has reportedly requested that the Slovak ambassador in Kyiv deliver a note to Ukrainian authorities demanding an explanation for the continued suspension of oil deliveries. Fico also wants Slovak and Hungarian representatives to inspect the facilities in Brody, Ukraine, to assess the state of the pipeline firsthand.

Geopolitical Context and Regional Stakes

This situation unfolds against a backdrop of ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine and broader European efforts to reduce reliance on Russian energy. Slovakia’s dependence on Russian oil, coupled with Fico’s historically pro-Russian stance – including promises not to send “a single bullet” to Ukraine and suspending military aid, as reported by Onet.pl in August 2025 – adds a layer of complexity to the crisis. Hungary shares similar concerns regarding energy security and has also been critical of sanctions against Russia. The dispute highlights the vulnerabilities of Central European nations reliant on Russian energy and the potential for political leverage in the context of the war in Ukraine.

The potential disruption of electricity supplies from Slovakia to Ukraine represents a further escalation of tensions. While the amount of electricity supplied is not publicly quantified, any reduction in aid could impact Ukraine’s ability to maintain critical infrastructure during the winter months.

What comes next will depend on the outcome of diplomatic efforts and the pace of repairs to the Druzhba pipeline. The situation underscores the urgent need for diversification of energy sources in Central Europe and the potential for energy security to become a key point of contention in the ongoing geopolitical landscape. Share your thoughts in the comments below.