Overview
- Four Australian women and nine children left the Al Roj camp on Friday in a bus escorted by Syrian government officials for processing in Damascus.
- Camp security officials said the group is expected to spend about 72 hours in Damascus before deportation under Syrian security procedures.
- The Australian government says it is not repatriating people from Syria, while stressing security agencies are prepared to act and that any crimes will be prosecuted.
- Several in the cohort hold Australian passports or single‑use travel documents, which officials say must be issued to citizens even when the government declines to organise their travel.
- The departure follows a failed February attempt involving 34 people who were turned back by Syrian authorities, and it comes as changing control in north‑eastern Syria has disrupted camp management and transfers.