CANBERRA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen Australian citizens left stranded in Syrian camps since the fall of the Islamic State (IS) have been repatriated by the federal government.
Minister for Home Affairs Clare O'Neil confirmed that four women and 13 children arrived safely in Australia on Saturday morning.
The group -- the wives and children of radicalized Australians who joined the IS -- lived in the al-Hol and al-Roj camps in northeastern Syria.
In a statement, O'Neil said the repatriation was informed by national security advice that considered "the range of security, community and welfare factors in making the decision to repatriate."
"The decision to repatriate these women and their children was informed by individual assessments following detailed work by national security agencies," she said.
"At all times the focus has been the safety and security of all Australians as well as the safety of those involved in the operation."
According to The Australian, this is the first repatriation of Australians since two groups of orphans were repatriated in July 2019.
