Current:Home > Stocks127 Malaysians, suspected to be victims of job scams, rescued from Myanmar fighting-LoTradeCoin
127 Malaysians, suspected to be victims of job scams, rescued from Myanmar fighting
View Date:2024-12-23 18:16:05
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — More than 120 suspected victims of job scams have been rescued after being stranded by fighting in northern Myanmar between the military and armed ethnic groups, Malaysia’s government said.
The number of Malaysians rescued surged from an initial 26 to 127 in the past few days, Foreign Minister Zambry Abd Kadir told local media late Monday before flying to New York.
He said they are in a safe location and the government hoped to fly them home by Thursday. The foreign ministry earlier said the group were stranded in Laukkaing, a town known as a notorious hub for online scams, gambling and other major organized crimes.
Fighting has continued in northern Myanmar after an alliance of armed ethnic minority groups launched a surprise offensive last month. They have seized control of several border crossings to China, in a major disruption to trade.
Zambry said the ministry was asked to help evacuate an Indonesian and a Hong Kong citizen from the area. He said the duo will be flown out with the Malaysians. He thanked China and Myanmar authorities for their help in the operation but didn’t give further details.
A government official who declined to be named as he isn’t authorized to speak to the media said Tuesday that based on initial information, the 127 Malaysians were lured to the area by fraud job offers. He said details of the rescue operation and their evacuation couldn’t be released yet due to the sensitivity of the case and the various parties involved.
Earlier this month, 266 Thai victims of human traffickers, several Filipinos and a Singaporean were also rescued from Laukkaing and taken to China’s Kunming city, where they boarded chartered flights to Bangkok. Another group of 41 Thais were also reportedly repatriated across the land border.
Unrest in Myanmar’s border region has been a constant irritant to China, despite its support for the country’s military rulers who took power in a takeover in 2021.
Beijing earlier this week called for a cease-fire in Myanmar but said it will continue live-firing drills on its side of the frontier to prepare for any emergency. Chinese police have reportedly fired tear gas to drive away people who were sheltering close to the border fence.
China is highly wary of conflicts spilling over the border that is already rife with drug trafficking and people smuggling. Cybercrime targeting Chinese victims has become a major concern, and China has pushed hard to eliminate the groups based in Myanmar and other countries and to send the perpetrators back to China for prosecution.
veryGood! (43853)
Related
- Why Josh O'Connor Calls Sex Scenes Least Sexy Thing After Challengers With Zendaya and Mike Faist
- Massachusetts man vanishes while on family vacation in Hilton Head; search underway
- Florida quietly removes LGBTQ+ travel info from state website
- Trump is set to hold his first outdoor rally since last month’s assassination attempt
- John Krasinski named People magazine’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive
- Utah lawmakers want voters to give them the power to change ballot measures once they’ve passed
- A new setback hits a Boeing jet: US will require inspection of pilot seats on 787s
- Court docs allege ex-NFL player urinated on plane passenger for 20 seconds, refused to depart flight
- Father, 5 children hurt in propane tank explosion while getting toys: 'Devastating accident'
- A Victoria Beckham Docuseries Is Coming to Netflix: All the Posh Details
Ranking
- Jelly Roll goes to jail (for the best reason) ahead of Indianapolis concert
- Vance and Walz are still relatively unknown, but the governor is better liked, an AP-NORC poll finds
- Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava cruises to reelection victory
- Sicily Yacht Sinking: 4 Bodies Recovered From the Wreckage By Divers
- Stop What You're Doing—Moo Deng Just Dropped Her First Single
- Lands' End Summer Sale: Up to 85% Off + Extra 60% Off Swim — Shop $15 Swimsuits, $10 Tops & More From $8
- Richard Simmons' Cause of Death Revealed
- Canadian freight trains could stop moving Thursday. If they do, many businesses will be hurt
Recommendation
-
Japan to resume V-22 flights after inquiry finds pilot error caused accident
-
Georgia, Ohio State start at top of college football's NCAA Re-Rank 1-134
-
Pumpkin Spice Latte officially back at Starbucks this week: Plus, a new apple-flavored drink
-
'Major catastrophe': Watch as road collapses into giant sinkhole amid Northeast flooding
-
Jimmy Kimmel, more late-night hosts 'shocked' by Trump Cabinet picks: 'Goblins and weirdos'
-
Why Lane Kiffin, Jeff Lebby, Chris Beard have longer contracts than Mississippi law allows
-
House of Villains Trailer Teases Epic Feud Between Teresa Giudice and Tiffany New York Pollard
-
Utah lawsuit seeks state control over vast areas of federal land