Nairobi — The government has successfully repatriated 119 Kenyan nationals rescued from illegal online scam compounds in Myanmar.
The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs revealed this in a statement as efforts continue to secure the return of nearly 200 others still stranded in the conflict-hit region.
In a statement released on Monday, December 22, the State Department for Diaspora Affairs said the Kenyans were freed following coordinated raids by Myanmar authorities and rebel groups targeting criminal syndicates operating in remote border areas of Karen State, near the Thailand border.
"A total of 119 Kenyans have been successfully repatriated following recent raids by Myanmar authorities and rebel groups, with efforts ongoing to secure the return of the remaining Kenyans amid complex regional dynamics," the department said.
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According to the ministry, criminal networks had established sophisticated scam hubs that conducted online fraud and recruited workers from across the world, including Kenyans, often through false job promises.
"These illegal scam compounds were established in remote border regions and were protected variably by rebel groups, making them flashpoints for conflict," the statement said.
The ministry explained that the September 2025 raids resulted in arrests, seizures, bombings and demolitions of the camps, sparking violent clashes between the Myanmar government and rebel factions. As the criminal operators fled, hundreds of foreign workers were abandoned.
"Over 200 Kenyans were left behind and sought refuge in military shelters in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko, while another group of over 100 Kenyans crossed into Thailand," the statement read.
The government said it acted swiftly after receiving an initial list of 126 Kenyans, activating multiple measures through the foreign state department and the Kenya Embassy in Bangkok, adding that the government also funded transport and airport logistics.
"We immediately created WhatsApp groups linking next-of-kin for real-time updates, negotiated discounted group fares with Kenya Airways, issued emergency travel documents, and coordinated safe passage with Thai authorities," the ministry said.
Upon arrival in Kenya, the evacuees are being interviewed by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations as part of efforts to dismantle the transnational syndicates behind the scams.
"All returnees are interviewed by the DCI's Transnational Organized Crime Unit to support ongoing investigations and prosecutions," the ministry said.
The government noted that 198 Kenyans remain in the region, including 66 at Thailand's Immigration Detention Centre and 129 in shelters inside Myanmar, while three others are in a Catholic safe house in Cambodia.
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The repatriation effort has, however, been complicated by border closures during the festive season.
"Borders are currently closed for the holidays, and departures will resume after the festive period," the statement read.
The ministry also raised concern over troubling travel trends among the affected Kenyans.
"Most of those seeking repatriation entered Thailand on tourist visas despite clear endorsements prohibiting employment, and many insisted they were travelling for tourism when stopped at JKIA," the statement said.
It added that some individuals had previously ignored government evacuation efforts.
"Several of those now seeking repatriation had bypassed earlier government evacuations, including the major operation in March 2025, and knowingly returned to scam work," the ministry said.
The government urged Kenyans to remain vigilant against fraudulent overseas job offers, warning that the Myanmar crisis highlights the growing risks posed by transnational criminal networks targeting vulnerable jobseekers.
