International observers and human rights groups on Tuesday denounced the government of Malaysia for sending displaced persons back to their home country. The operation involve the deportation of approximately 1,500 Myanmar nationals in the initial phase of a broader government initiative to return 5,000 individuals. Malaysia is proceeding with the repatriations despite opposition from the United Nations and numerous rights monitors who have raised safety concerns.

Myanmar is currently embroiled in a civil war that has displaced millions of people, according to reporting from AFP. This instability has led international bodies to caution that returning refugees face high risks of violence and persecution upon their arrival in the conflict zones.