KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has announced the rescue of 71 additional Nepali citizens from online scamming centers across Southeast Asia, raising the total number of repatriated individuals from the region to 687.

According to Ministry Spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri, the breakdown of total rescues includes 562 from Cambodia, 111 from Myanmar, 8 from Laos, and 6 from Thailand.

Furthermore, coordinated efforts by the Nepali Embassy in Bangkok have successfully prompted the Cambodian government to waive fines for 102 Nepalis, with waiver requests for another 172 individuals currently pending.

Meanwhile, diplomatic initiatives continue to secure the release of 29 Nepalis currently detained in Cambodia on charges related to organized crime, torture, and human trafficking.