This report provides insights into the profiles, experiences, needs, routes travelled and intentions of migrants transiting through the Western Balkans. IOM surveyed 1,124 migrants from 1 October to 31 October 2024 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo*.

*References to Kosovo* shall be understood in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).

The Horn of Africa and Yemen is one of the busiest and riskiest migration corridors in the world travelled by hundreds of thousands of migrants, the majority of whom travel in an irregular manner, often relying on smugglers to facilitate movement along the Eastern Route. This regional report provides monthly updates on the complex migratory dynamics through Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen based on diverse data sources and consultations with key informants in the four countries. Moreover, it provides information on the main protection concerns for migrants along the journey, a focus on children and information on the forced returns from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen.

• As of September (53,000), movements tracked in Obock towards the Arabian Peninsula surpassed all movements tracked in 2023 (49,100), which represents a 62% increase between 2023 (32,700) and 2024 for the period of January to September, and an 8% increase from all exit movements tracked in 2023.

• The number of stranded migrants in Djibouti almost quadrupled (+259%) between August (963) and September (3,461) due to the resumption of migratory movements after August’s heavy rains and floods, and tighter controls by Djiboutian authorities along the coast of Obock.

• While the overall number of migrants assisted in Obock remained similar between 2023 (2,028) and 2024 (1,850) for the period of January to September, the number of assisted girls increased by 40% (from 43 to 60).

• For the period of January to September, exit movements from Ethiopia along the Eastern Route increased by 28% between 2023 (135,000) and 2024 (173,000).

• In Ethiopia, the number of tracked migrant children increased by 33% between 2023 (6,500) and 2024 (8,700) for the period of January to September, with the number of migrant boys and girls increasing by 38% and 24%, respectively. • In September, an additional 6,000 forced returns from Saudi Arabia to Ethiopia brought the total number of forced returns to 86,800, which is more than double (+102%) the total reported in all of 2023 (43,000).

• The number of migrant children tracked in Bossaso heading to Yemen more than doubled (+132%) between 2023 (2,800) and 2024 (6,400) for the period of January to September, representing 16% of movements in 2024.

• During September, there were reports of armed groups exploiting stranded migrants and coercing some into joining their ranks, while smuggling networks in the Sool region have increased their demands on transiting migrants for transportation and accommodation fees.

• In September, 284 Ethiopian migrants were deported from Oman to Yemen through Deifen Point in the Shahan district of Al Maharah Governorate, which represents a 53% increase between 2023 (1,082) and 2024 (1,653) for the period of January to September and a 24% increase from the whole of 2023 (1,336)

Since 20 October 2024, DTM monitored an escalation in clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) across multiple localities in Aj Jazirah state. The Focused Flash Alert provides a numeric breakdown of displacement due to escalations in Aj Jazirah state, from 20 October to 13 November 2024. 

All figures should be understood as preliminary estimates, pending further verification. 

• Reported clashes displaced an estimated 343,473 individuals (68,801 households) between 20 October and 13 November 2024. 
• Individuals were displaced to 38 localities across seven different states. 
• Approximately (44%) of IDPs were displaced to localities in Gedaref state.
• Among the individuals displaced, an estimated 15,129 IDPs were already displaced prior to the escalation, and therefore experienced secondary displacement. 

DTM Sudan releases Early Warning Flash Alerts to provide immediate updates on specific incidents or armed clashes that spurred displacement.  Early Warning Flash Alerts are distributed via the DTM Sudan mailing list. For more granular information on displacement and mobility, see Sudan Mobility Overview (03). See also Focused Flash Alert: Aj Jazirah (Update 02) and (Update 01). 

Since October 8 there has been an increase in cross-border incidents between Israel and Lebanon, resulting in the displacement of people both within the South and elsewhere within the country. Since October 10, the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) has been conducting the daily monitoring of population movements. The objective of the exercise is to inform preparedness and response planning.

As of October 2024, 3,213,495 individuals have been displaced, including 2,622,002 internally displaced persons (82% of the displaced population) and 591,493 refugees (18% of the displaced population). Sixty-five per cent of the displaced populations (2,101,972 individuals) were located in Burkina Faso, while 14 per cent resided in Mali (451,844 individuals), 11 per cent in Niger (366,991 individuals) and 4 per cent in Mauritania (140,756 individuals). The crisis’ recent spill over to coastal countries, namely Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin, shows growing number of refugees coming from the Central Sahel and populations internally displaced. As of October, 151,932 individuals were affected by displacement within the four countries (25,848 in Benin, 62,078 in Côte d’Ivoire, 7,242 in Ghana and 56,764 in Togo) of which 25,830 were internally displaced.

. As of October 2024, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria were hosting an estimated 6,069,794 affected individuals made up of internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees (former IDPs and returnees from abroad) and refugees (both in- and out-of-camp). Thirteen per cent of the affected population (779,110  individuals) were located in Cameroon, while 5 per cent resided in Chad (294,099 individuals), 9 per cent in Niger (555,664 individuals) and finally, 73 per cent in Nigeria (4,440,921 individuals). Overall, the numbers show a sharp increase in returnees from abroad (+45%), slight increases in IDPs (+1%) and refugees (+2%), and a decrease in returnees former IDPs (-8%) since December 2023.

As of October 2024, 4,024,862 individuals were affected, including 455,533 internally displaced persons (11% of the displaced population), 2,309,365 returnees former IDPs (57%), 539,800 returnees from abroad (14%) and 720,164 refugees (18%). In the CAR, the largest displaced population consists of former IDP returnees. Refugees from the CAR are primarily hosted by Cameroon (282,008 individuals, or 42% of the refugees), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (207,776 individuals, or 31% of the refugees) and Chad (137,988 individuals, or 20% of the refugees). Nonetheless, 10,648 refugees from the Central African Republic are still living in Sudan (2% of the refugees). The country is also home for refugees from neighbouring countries, hosting a total of 43,983 refugees coming from Sudan (29,660 individuals), the DRC (6,505 individuals), Chad (4,951 individuals) and South Soudan (2,867 individuals).

DTM Flow Monitoring, conducted by IOM Afghanistan, is designed to provide insights into the mobility patterns at Afghanistan’s border points with the Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan. This activity involves two interlinked exercises: Flow Monitoring Counting (FMC), which monitors the number of movements across the border, and Flow Monitoring Surveys (FMS), which collect data on the profiles of randomly selected Afghan nationals crossing the border including documentation held, reasons for travel, and the intended period of stay/ travel. It is important to note that DTM collects information on total movements at a given border point, not the number of unique individuals entering or leaving the country. As a result, if one individual both left and re-entered Afghanistan during the reporting period, this would count as one outflow movement and one inflow movement. Movements can be attributed to a wide variety of reasons, including returnees coming back to Afghanistan after living abroad, people visiting family, deportees, those travelling for economic reasons, medical patients, students, or Afghans moving abroad for different reasons. Circular movements, which include those who frequently and regularly travel back and forth across the border for trade and other reasons, are also common. This monitoring offers a clear picture of population movements in and out of the country. 

DTM FM is operational at four main crossing points (connected to Afghanistan’s National Highway) as well as six other crossing points with Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan. This weekly snapshot combines information from the FM activity and various IOM sources related to cross-border movement. For a detailed explanation of the methodology used in gathering this data, the report directs readers to the section titled “IOM INFLOW DATA” on the last page.
 

This report reflects data corresponding to Sudan Mobility Overview (3) dataset. The dataset is available here.

Overview

The Sudan Mobility Overview provides an in-depth analysis of displacement and mobility in Sudan between 01 September and 06 November 2024. This bi-monthly report summarizes displacement pathways, movement intentions, humanitarian needs, and access to services among IDPs in Sudan. 

DTM Sudan relies on a network of 492 enumerators and 8,211 key informants to collect data from 9,653 locations across all 18 states in Sudan.

Displacement Figures 

• Sudan hosted an estimated 11,188,057 internally displaced persons (2,254,337 households), as of 6 November 2024.
• An estimated 8,441,096 individuals were displaced since the onset of the conflict on 15 April 2023. 
• An estimated 3,190,152 individuals crossed borders into neighbouring countries since 15 April 2023. 
• Approximately 28 per cent of IDPs who were initially displaced prior to 15 April 2023, were displaced again after 15 April 2023. 
• An estimated 53 per cent of IDPs were children under the age of 18-years-old. 

Highlights

• Over 30 per cent of the population in Sudan has been displaced.
• An estimated 90 per cent of IDP households could reportedly not afford food, and approximately 78 per cent of IDP households reportedly needed healthcare.
• An estimated 189,555 individuals were displaced due to floods. Of these individuals, approximately 41 per cent were already displaced due to conflict prior to the onset of floods.
• IDPs were displaced from locations in all 18 states in Sudan: over a third (33%) were displaced from Khartoum state.
• Sudan represents the largest displacement crisis in the world: Sudan hosts approximately 15 per cent of all IDPs worldwide, and approximately 1 in 7 IDPs is Sudanese.