Shadow Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews believes Australian lives will be “put at risk” as a rescue mission conducted today by ASIO in Syria will soon be underway.

A secret ASIO mission into Syria has cleared the way for the families of Islamic State members left behind in camps there to be repatriated to Australia.

The government is putting the final touches on a rescue plan to bring back the 16 Australian women and 42 children held in the al-Roj detention camp near the Iraqi border.

They have been held without charge in northeastern Syria for three and a half years following the fall of the ­Islamic State at Baghouz in March 2019.

Minister Andrews said she is very concerned and Labor needs to assure Australians that individuals who may have been radicalised pose no threat upon their return.

“Some of these individuals are most likely all ready radicalised so what is their status?

“I’m even more concerned that it’s actually going to happen.

“It will cost millions of dollars to put these people under the close supervision that they need.”

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Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor told Ben Fordham the first priority in this mission is to protect Australians.

“We must always put [Australian lives] at the forefront in any sort of these debates.”

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