Malaysia will launch tonight an operation to bring home about 3,300 Malaysian students from strife-torn Egypt, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced here.

He said commercial aircraft would be used to fly back the students who wished to return voluntarily.

The air tickets would be purchased beginning tonight and the flights would come via Amman (Jordan) and Istanbul (Turkey) as well as several other places, he told reporters soon after arriving to attend the Aidilfitri open house hosted by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Dr Al Hamsa, here.

Najib said he learned from a report sent by National Security Council secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab, who is in Egypt, that the situation there was in a state of uncertainty and could worsen.

"As such, our people advised that we launch the operation to bring back our students who wish to return voluntarily. I agreed," he said.