During the week ending 26 August, the ADRA-IOM in Kosti tracked a total of 223 individuals transiting through this major hub in spontaneous movements, with final destinations in Southern Kordofan, including the Abyei Area (41%), Northern Bahr el Ghazal (30%) and various other states in smaller numbers. This week return’s figure has increased slightly as compared with last week, however the level remains historically low for this time of year.

In a year dominated by preparations for the first national elections in a generation, return patterns fell into their historic seasonal rhythms, with little apparent dampening of the appetite to go home, until toward the end of the period.

Today marks the 100th day of captivity for the Samaritan’s Purse humanitarian worker kidnapped in Darfur. We remain seriously concerned for her safety, and for the safety of other humanitarian workers in the Darfur region.