The highest number of returns was recorded in Khartoum state, where more than 1.3 million people have returned home, followed by nearby Aj Jazirah state, according to the latest IOM data.
Security pockets
The IOM says the number of returnees is increasing, indicating that there are pockets of relative perceived safety in some parts of the country.
Overall, 83 percent of returnees had been internally displaced, while 17 percent returned from neighboring countries, including Egypt, South Sudan and Libya, as well as the Gulf States.
However, in areas of Darfur and Kordofan where violence continues to increase, there has been an increase in displacement.
IOM warns that without adequate resources and renewed efforts towards peace, millions of families will remain trapped in protracted displacement and instability.
WHO: India on alert with two cases of Nipah virus in January
India has confirmed two cases of the sometimes deadly Nipah virus this month in the eastern state of West Bengal, according to an update from the World Health Organization (WHO).
This is the seventh documented outbreak of Nipah in India and the third in West Bengal, following outbreaks in 2001 and 2007.
Those infected are a male and female nurse who work in the same private hospital. As of last week, the male patient is recovering, while the female patient remains in critical condition.
Nipah is a virus that is primarily transmitted from bats to humans, sometimes through contaminated food or close contact. It can also be transmitted from animals such as pigs to humans and, in some cases, between people.
Nipah virus infection can range from asymptomatic illness to severe respiratory illness and fatal encephalitis.
Low risk of transmission
Historically, Nipah outbreaks in the WHO South-East Asia Region have been limited to Bangladesh and India and have occurred sporadically or in small clusters. There have been no known cases of international spread through travel.
The WHO says India has demonstrated its ability to manage previous outbreaks well and that public health measures are currently being implemented.
As of January 27, no additional cases have been detected. The national government has deployed an outbreak response team in West Bengal to work closely with state authorities.
For Nipah, there is currently no vaccine or licensed treatment available, so early detection and prevention are essential.
$100 million initiative launched to strengthen food security in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, the United Nations food agency (FAO) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are implementing a $100 million initiative to strengthen food and nutrition security and restore agricultural livelihoods for more than one million vulnerable people over the next two years.
Backbone of the economy
Although agriculture remains the backbone of Afghanistan’s rural economy, it continues to face challenges such as low productivity, restricted market opportunities and repeated natural disasters.
The project will reach more than 151,000 households (i.e. just over one million people), including returnees, host communities and disaster-affected families.
With millions of Afghans already facing increasing pressures and at risk of falling into deeper acute food insecurity and malnutrition, there is an urgent need for sustained investment that goes beyond the emergency response to strengthen long-term resilience.
In 2026, 17.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity, including 4.7 million classified as in the emergency phase, just one step away from famine conditions.
FAO has supported some 5.6 million people since 2022.
Through its partnership with ADB, millions more rural households will obtain the tools and resources necessary to produce food, safeguard livestock, and ensure nutrition for their families.