The Australian government has confirmed the commencement of a high-stakes operation to repatriate a new group of women and children linked to the ISIS terrorist organization. This move, which has sparked intense national debate, is being conducted under strict surveillance by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and specialized counter-terrorism units.

Revealing the details, authorities announced that a total of 19 individuals—comprising six women and 13 children—are expected to arrive in Sydney and Melbourne late Tuesday night. The group traveled from Syrian refugee camps via Doha, Qatar, marking a significant phase in the government's ongoing and controversial repatriation program.

In a major security development, a last-minute government intervention blocked one woman, identified as Hodan Abbi, from boarding the flight. Citing critical national security concerns, the Australian government issued a temporary exclusion order against Abbi, effectively banning her return to Australian soil until at least 2028.

Sources confirmed that while the government offered to repatriate Abbi’s young daughter—who suffers from severe shrapnel injuries and requires urgent medical care—the mother refused to be separated from her child. This specific case highlights the complex humanitarian and security dilemmas facing the Albanese government as it balances legal obligations with public safety.

Regarding the arrivals in Sydney, the group includes members of the notorious Zehab family. Among them are Aminah Zehab and her daughters, Nesrine and Sumaya. The family is closely linked to Muhammad Zehab, a former mathematics teacher turned high-level ISIS recruiter, who was killed in a 2018 airstrike after facilitating the movement of foreign fighters into Syria.

On the legal front, Minister for Immigration Tony Burke emphasized that the government would provide no special treatment or extraordinary support to the returnees. He warned that any individual found to have violated Australian law through involvement in terrorist activities or entering "prohibited zones" would face the full force of the law and immediate criminal prosecution.

Furthermore, the repatriation includes Kirsty Ross-Emile from Melbourne, who has previously claimed she was coerced into traveling to Syria at a young age. However, intelligence reports and testimonies from former associates have cast doubt on these claims, suggesting a deeper level of awareness and radicalization than previously admitted.

In a related context, this operation follows a similar repatriation effort several weeks ago, which resulted in immediate criminal charges for some returnees upon landing. Charges in previous cases have included "entering a declared area" and "slavery-related offences," serving as a stark warning to the current group that their return does not equate to amnesty.

Finally, the Australian Federal Police have stated that the safety of the Australian community remains the paramount priority. All adult returnees will undergo rigorous security assessments and may be subject to ongoing control orders or surveillance to mitigate any potential threat to national security.