May 22, 2026 — 7:45amThe remaining seven women and 14 children linked to Islamic State have left the al-Roj camp in Syria and are on their way back to Australia.Camp director Haval Rashid confirmed the movement of women overnight from the camp towards Damascus, Syria’s capital, where they are expected to be met by representatives of their Australian supporters and brought home.The Al-Roj detention camp in northern Syria.It’s unclear when they will return to Australia, but five of the women and seven children are expected to return to Sydney, and two women and seven children to Melbourne.When an earlier cohort of four women and nine children returned with family members on May 7, three of the women were arrested. Two were charged with crimes against humanity relating to enslavement and using a slave, and one was charged with entering a terrorist zone.Michael Bachelard is a senior writer and former deputy editor and investigations editor of The Age. He has worked in Canberra, Melbourne and Jakarta, has written two books and won multiple awards for journalism, including the Gold Walkley.Connect via X or email.From our partners