Malaysia has begun returning asylum seekers to Myanmar under a deal with military ruler Min Aung Hlaing, marking a sharp change in the government’s approach to refugees. Human rights groups warn that returnees could face violence, persecution or forced conscription, while the Malaysian government says the returns are voluntary.

Three Myanmar navy ships left Malaysia on Tuesday carrying the first 1,476 of about 5,000 people due to be repatriated. Malaysia has not allowed the UN refugee agency to screen them, and it is unclear whether the first group included Rohingyas. The policy shift comes amid growing public hostility towards Rohingya refugees, economic pressures and political instability; more than 200,000 Rohingyas are believed to live in Malaysia.