The latest repatriations demonstrate to the Australian Government that repatriations of the 47 Australian children and their mothers from the camps are entirely possible, and urgent.
Save the Children Australia Deputy CEO, Mat Tinkler said any suggestion that repatriations were not possible due to logistical, safety or legal concerns had been comprehensively quashed.
“The Australian Government has well and truly run out of excuses and the Australian children in these camps are running out of time,” said Mr Tinkler.
“Clearly, where there is a will there is a way, and Australia has both a moral and a legal obligation to repatriate its citizens before it’s too late.”
Denmark this week repatriated 14 children and three Danish mothers from camps in North East Syria, many of whom fled ISIS. Germany repatriated 23 children and eight German women. Logistical assistance for the repatriation was provided by the US government.
But Save the Children said it was disappointed that five other children, also from Denmark, were left behind after the Danish government withdrew citizenship from their mothers. It is estimated that around 150 women and children from Germany remain in the camps.
