The federal government has lifted the ban on Australian citizens travelling to al-Raqqa in Syria without a legitimate purpose and now Australians can now travel to al-Raqqa in Syria without facing criminal charges but have been warned the area is still a war zone.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed on Wednesday coalition forces, including Australian troops, have taken back al-Raqqa city from Islamic State, which she described as an important milestone in the fight against the extremist group, SBS reported.
“This means that Australian citizens who travel to al-Raqqa will no longer be subject to the criminal code defences that made it an offence to travel to al-Raqqa without legitimate purpose,” she told reporters in Canberra.
However, Syria and Iraq are still subject to “do not travel” warnings.
