Australia arrests women linked to Islamic State
Three women linked to the Islamic State (IS) group have been arrested after returning to Australia following years spent in detention camps in Syria. Australian authorities confirmed that the women, all Australian citizens, arrived with a group that also included nine children. Kawsar Abbas, 53, and Zeinab Ahmed, 31, were arrested upon arrival in Melbourne, while Janai Safar, 32, was taken into custody after landing in Sydney. A fourth woman travelling with the group was not arrested. The return of the women has reignited political debate in Australia over how to handle former IS members and their families who remained stranded in Syria after the collapse of the so-called caliphate in 2019. Australian officials said the government did not arrange the repatriation but had long prepared for the possibility of their return. The children, believed to be between six years […]
