A mission is underway to bring the wives and children of former Islamic State fighters home to Australia from refugee camps in Syria.
About 20 women and 40 children have been held in the detention camps there since the fall of the Islamic State in 2019.
9News understands Australian officials have already visited the camps earlier this year to verify their identities.
They are largely the Australian wives, sisters and children of Islamic State fighters, but many of them insist they were taken to the Middle East against their will.
Concerns have repeatedly been raised for their welfare.
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The former federal government resisted calls for their repatriation, arguing there were security concerns in bringing people back from Syria.
But Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil told Nine newspapers the current government’s overriding priority was the protection of Australians.
The families are likely to be brought back to Australia gradually in the coming months.
