Kenya has repatriated 119 citizens who were trapped in online fraud syndicates in Myanmar, with nearly 200 more still awaiting evacuation across Myanmar, Thailand and Cambodia, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs said Monday.
In a statement, the department said 198 Kenyans remain in the pipeline for repatriation. That group includes 66 in Thailand’s immigration detention center, 129 in shelters in Myanmar, and three in a Caritas Catholic safe house in Cambodia, where Kenya’s Embassy has established contact.
- Advertisement -
The operations follow months of regional turmoil and law enforcement activity that exposed sprawling scam hubs in Myanmar’s borderlands. In September, Myanmar authorities raided compounds in Karen State, igniting clashes with rebel groups and prompting criminal networks to scatter. The upheaval left more than 200 Kenyan workers stranded in military shelters in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko or crossing into Thailand.
Officials said repatriation efforts accelerated after Kenya received an initial list of 126 nationals believed to be in the compounds. Seven Kenyans remain pending rebooking after canceling their travel at the last minute, the department added.
The Diaspora Affairs department also reported complications inside Myanmar, noting that “86 Kenyans in military shelters initially refused cooperation – demanding government-funded tickets and spreading falsehoods on social media.” The agency urged families to rely on official channels for updates as extractions continue under difficult conditions.
According to the department, online fraud networks have entrenched themselves in fortified compounds across remote parts of Karen State along the Thai border. The syndicates lure foreign workers, including Kenyans, with bogus tech or customer service jobs and operate with inconsistent backing from local armed groups. The expansion of these hubs has accelerated since Myanmar’s 2021 coup and the ensuing civil war, as weak regulation and conflict have created space for criminal enterprises to thrive.
Kenyan authorities say they are coordinating with counterparts in Myanmar and Thailand to verify identities, secure travel documents and arrange safe transit lanes. Nairobi has not released a timeline for completing the remaining evacuations, citing fluid security conditions and immigration processes across multiple jurisdictions.
Where Kenyans are awaiting repatriation:
- 66 in Thailand’s immigration detention center
- 129 in shelters inside Myanmar
- Three at a Caritas Catholic safe house in Cambodia
The government urged Kenyans to exercise extreme caution when responding to overseas job offers, particularly those routed through social media and messaging apps, and to verify employers through official channels. Authorities say fraud recruiters frequently confiscate travel documents upon arrival, restrict movement and coerce victims into telecom and online scams inside guarded compounds.
While the return of 119 nationals marks a significant milestone, officials cautioned that the broader regional crisis persists. As criminal groups regroup and shift locations, the department said it will maintain engagement with families and international partners to bring remaining Kenyans home and to disrupt recruitment pipelines that have drawn East African jobseekers into Southeast Asia’s cyberfraud industry.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
