Published 23:20 IST, October 15th 2019
Australians trapped in Syria plead with government for rescue
Australians trapped in Syria plead with government for rescue. Kamalle Dabboussy visited Parliament House in Canberra to reiterate this to federal politicians.
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Father of an Australian national trapped in Syrian camp, Kamalle Dabboussy reportedly visited the Parliament House in Canberra on October 14 to ask federal politicians to intervene to rescue the stranded Australians. He voiced hundreds like his daughter who have been stranded in the military zone. Envisioning the possibility of rescue, he said that Australia could still safely liberate its citizens. As the border crossing is still open, Australia can still take action yet the time in hand is very short, he added.
Save the Children Australia stands for Australians trapped in Syria
The same was reiterated by Mat Tinkler, director of policy and international programs with Save the Children Australia, who said the media that the Australian families of those trapped in the camps had been upfront with the government. He added that his organization was prepared to work with law enforcement, intelligence and security agencies over their relatives’ association with Isis if they were repatriated to Australia. Speaking further on the situation, Tinkler said that the Australian justice system should prosecute any case that exists and secure the safety and appropriate treatment of these people, then allowing them to stay in a place like war-torn north-east Syria. Adding weight to the possibility of transfer, the social worker said that the Kurdish administration of the region remained willing to transfer foreign nationals from north-east Syria to border towns such as Qamishli in Iraq.
Australia avoiding transfer due to security threat
On the other hand, the media cited that the Australian Government has been opposing operations to rescue trapped Australians, saying it would not jeopardize further Australian lives in any rescue mission. Home affairs minister, Peter Dutton said in a media statement that some Australians in the camps were hardcore and can cause casualty once they are back to the native land. Saying this, he reasoned that it wouldn't be wise to send Australian soldiers to rescue people of this nature. As per media reports, at least 750 people with suspected links to Islamic State have reportedly fled the al-Hawl camp.
Australia opposes Turkish offensive
Turkey has launched its offensive against the Syrian Kurdish forces. Nations like the US, Iran, India are opposing the move. In turn of events, the US has removed its troops from Syria. Australia too is amongst the nation which is pressuring Turkey over its military action, with the foreign minister, Marise Payne, speaking with her Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and warning that ISIS could be reinvigorated by the chaos created by the Turkish invasion.
“Daesh [Isis] is more than capable of small bursts of, or a large burst of, energy and activity and continuing terrorist and violent extremist activity, not just in the Middle East but allied with other extremist organisations in the region and more broadly,” Payne told the senate.
16:57 IST, October 15th 2019