Malaysia begins Myanmar repatriations despite safety warnings

Northern Ireland / 28 September 2026 The days of unionist ‘supremacy’ are gone, says Northern Ireland's First Minister 28 September 2026 Middle East / 28 September 2026 US accuses Iran of failing to negotiate ‘in good faith’ 28 September 2026 Militarism / 28 September 2026 Trump asked China’s President Xi if he wanted to buy US arms 28 September 2026 Europe / 28 September 2026 Swiss reject tighter neutrality rules in referendum 28 September 2026 Climate Crisis / 28 September 2026 Heavy rain and flooding in northern India kills at least 62 28 September 2026 Round-up / 28 September 2026 World in brief: September 28, 2026 28 September 2026 MALAYSIA began repatriating Myanmar nationals today under a voluntary programme, despite warnings from the United Nations refugee agency and rights groups that conditions in the country remain unsafe for them.

The 1,476 people who began the trip are among 5,000 Myanmar nationals who will be repatriated in stages from Malaysia, where 10,388 Myanmar nationals were being held at immigration detention depots nationwide as of August 15, according to Malaysia’s Home Ministry.

A ministry official confirmed the repatriation was taking place on Tuesday.

Buses believed to be carrying Myanmar returnees arrived at a stadium in Manjung town in Malaysia’s central Perak state, where there was tight security. Ships believed to be from Myanmar were docked at the nearby Lumut naval base.

Those in the first group agreed to return in a process that will be carried out safely using two Myanmar navy warships and a hospital ship, the ministry said. Details of their identities and circumstances were not immediately available.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and rights groups have urged caution over the return programme, saying the security and humanitarian situation in parts of Myanmar remain volatile and the people involved could face serious risks.

Malaysia is home to about 215,600 refugees and asylum-seekers registered with the UNHCR, including about 126,000 minority Muslim Rohingya.

Despite hosting them, Malaysia is not a party to the UN Refugee Convention and treats refugees as undocumented migrants.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 2021, triggering widespread opposition.

After security forces suppressed peaceful protests with lethal force, many opponents of military rule took up arms.

On Monday, an air strike carried out by Myanmar’s military near a market in territory controlled by a powerful rebel group killed at least 49 people and wounded 58 others, the group and a rescue official said.

The attack in western Rakhine state was the latest in a series of deadly air strikes against pro-democracy resistance forces and ethnic armed groups across the country.

Monday’s attack occurred in Kyauktaw township, about 210 miles west of Mandalay, the country’s second-largest city, according to the Arakan Army, an armed group based in Rakhine which controls Kyauktaw.

The Arakan Army said in a statement released early on Tuesday that a fighter jet dropped two bombs near a local market around noon.

The statement said the group “will take effective retaliatory measures soon against the individuals and organisations responsible for the attacks.”