Malaysia has repatriated around 10,000 Myanmar nationals held in immigration detention since January, using both air and sea routes, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday.

Anwar made the remarks during Ministers’ Question Time in Malaysia’s lower house of parliament, the Dewan Rakyat, in Kuala Lumpur, according to state news agency Bernama. He was responding to a question about the government’s policy toward Myanmar nationals, including refugees, asylum seekers and Rohingya.

Anwar said some detainees were returned by air under arrangements initiated by Myanmar, while around 1,400 others were recently transported to Myanmar aboard naval vessels.

Malaysia repatriated 1,476 Myanmar nationals on Sept. 29 aboard three Myanmar naval vessels as part of a broader arrangement involving around 5,000 people. The returnees had been held at 14 immigration detention centres across Malaysia.

Malaysian authorities said the return process was voluntary. The detainees underwent identity verification and health checks before being sent back, according to Anadolu Agency.

The repatriations have raised concerns among rights groups and international organizations over the safety of those being returned to Myanmar, where armed conflict and displacement continue across large parts of the country.

The UN Refugee Agency has warned that conditions in Myanmar do not currently allow for safe and sustainable returns. UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Kelley Currie also called on Malaysia to halt the program, warning that returnees could face persecution and other serious human rights violations.

The latest returns come as Malaysia faces a growing challenge over the status of Myanmar nationals, including Rohingya refugees and asylum seekers. Rights groups have repeatedly urged Kuala Lumpur to ensure that immigration enforcement does not result in people being sent back to places where they may face persecution or serious harm.

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