Cambodia has rescued 78 Cambodian people who were trafficked to work in Saudi Arabia, the country's Labor Minister Heng Sour said late on Thursday.

"They had been cheated by brokers to work in Saudi Arabia," he said in a news release. "Of the 78 victims, 51 are in Jeddah, 15 in Riyadh and 12 in Dammam."

"All of them are now in safe places, awaiting their flights to Cambodia," he added.

Sour said they will be repatriated to Cambodia on different flights from Friday to Sunday.

The rescue came after one of the victims had recently posted on Facebook, calling for help from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.