477 Ethiopian migrants, who had been captives of armed groups in Myanmar, have been set free and 177 of them successfully repatriated to their country, according to a committee in charge of facilitating their return.
300 of the migrants had not been returned to Ethiopia due to the fact that they could not buy airline tickets, Abebech Simel, Chair of the committee told journalists on Monday.
The migrants were held hostages by the insurgent groups known as Democratic Karen Buddhist Army and Border Guard Force until their release through negotiations.
They had been detained for months in a military run facility in Myanmar for allegedly being involved in cyber crimes.
They had been pleading for urgent help, fearing they could soon fall back into the hands of the traffickers who first lured them into the country with false promises of employment in neighboring Thailand.
The committee said the repatriation was carried out “through coordination with Ethiopia’s Embassy in India.” It further noted that “efforts are being made to return other Ethiopians who are in difficult situations in Myanmar.”
Originally targeted by criminal networks running internet scams, the Ethiopians had been told they were being offered well-paying jobs abroad—mostly in Asia. Instead, they were smuggled into countries like Myanmar and forced to work in cybercrime compounds controlled by armed groups.
Their roles involved scamming social media users for up to 16 hours a day, leading to severe emotional, mental, and even physical health issues.
Some, according to reports from local media, developed kidney complications due to the stress and overwork.
In February 2025, under pressure from China and Thailand, Myanmar began a major operation to dismantle scam centers operating in border regions.
Thousands of trafficked individuals were released, including Ethiopians, who were then transferred to makeshift camps administered by local armed groups.
MG/as/APA