Thousands of foreigners freed from online scam-operating centres in Myanmar are stuck in limbo on the border with Thailand after a multinational crackdown on the compounds run by criminal gangs, three sources told Reuters on Monday.

Two Myanmar armed groups - the Karen National Army (KNA) and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) - are currently holding around 7,000 former scam centre workers but are unable to send them to Thailand, a Thai security official and two aid workers said.

“Many are stuck in limbo and Thailand’s lack of response is causing great harm,” said one aid worker, currently on the Thai side of the border. “It is like these victims are being revictimised.”