AUSTRALIAN women and children with alleged ties to Isis landed in Melbourne and Sydney today, following years of “hellish” experiences.

The 13 adults face potential criminal charges relating to their alleged time in the extremist organisation’s so-called caliphate in Syria and Iraq.

The women and children spent 12 years in the al-Roj camp. The Australian government previously condemned them for supporting Isis militants and refused to help repatriate them.

Police have been investigating potential atrocities, including terrorism offences and crimes against humanity, such as slave trading.

Deakin University extremism expert Joshua Roose said authorities were investigating abuses within the caliphate, including enslaving Yazidi women and harsh policing of sharia law.

“Some of the worst forms of violence were in fact enacted by women, so we need to understand that it’s a problem,” Mr Roose said.

A previous attempt to return 34 women and children to Australia from the same camp in February was turned back by Syrian authorities.

One woman remains banned from Australia by a temporary exclusion order, which can prevent high-risk citizens from returning for up to two years.

Save the Children Australia chief executive Mat Tinkler said priority must now be given to the welfare of the returned children.

“Two-thirds of this cohort that we’re talking about … are children,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of focus on the women and the choices they may have made.

“But we need the focus now to be on these children and give them a chance of resuming a normal life here in Australia.”