Australia repatriates 17 citizens from Syrian camps

Four women and 13 children were repatriated to Australia on Saturday, having languished for years in squalid Syrian detention camps after the downfall of the Islamic State.

It was the first in a series of planned missions to bring back about 20 Australian women and 40 children -- the wives, sons and daughters of vanquished IS fighters -- from the notorious Al-Hol and Roj camps.

Kamalle Dabboussy, whose daughter was among the group, said some of the children would need medical treatment.

“Everyone is in a great space but there are some health conditions,” he told reporters.

“A couple of the children have some serious health issues that we want to get checked out as soon as possible.”