CWA # 2275
CW Newsmakers
Myanmar's deepening Rohingya crisis I US withdrawal from Iraq
Escalating Ebola outbreak in Congo
Conflict Weekly #351, Vol 7, Nos. 38, 02 October 2026
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Namrata L Ghanghatkar, Priyanka Makhijani and Urja R Kudalkar
2 October 2026
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Myanmar’s Rohingya crisis deepens:
Malaysia repatriates first batch of Myanmar nationals amid fears of persecution
On 29 and 30 September, Mizzima and other major sources reported that Malaysia began repatriating Myanmar nationals under a programme rights groups warn could endanger them, despite safety warnings from the UN and human rights organisations. Around 1,500 people were bused under security escort to a stadium near Malaysia's Lumut naval base, before boarding two Myanmar navy vessels and a hospital ship. This is the first batch of up to 5,000 people Kuala Lumpur plans to return. A Myanmar Foreign Ministry official said the operation involves "genuine citizens" and "is not about bringing back the Rohingya people." However, AFP reported neither government has clarified how many Rohingya are in this group, and rights groups fear some could face persecution amounting to genocide. Malaysia hosts about 215,600 UNHCR-registered refugees, including roughly 126,000 Rohingya. UNHCR said current conditions "do not support the safe and sustainable return of refugees," adding it was not involved in identifying those being repatriated. APHR separately urged Malaysia to halt the returns, citing risks of armed conflict and forced conscription. PM Anwar Ibrahim defended the policy as pragmatic diplomacy.
The US withdraws from Iraq:
After 12 years against ISIL, Washington hands security to Baghdad
On 30 September, Guardian and other major news reported that, the Pentagon announced it had formally completed the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, concluding Operation Inherent Resolve. The last forces and equipment left an air base in Erbil under a 2024 US-Iraq agreement, ending a phased drawdown. US troops first invaded in 2003, peaked at 170,000 in 2007, left in 2011 and returned in 2014 to fight ISIL. Some 2,500 personnel were stationed in northern Iraq and Syria in recent years. President Trump called the exit "a great day for America" and the Iraq war a "quagmire". The Pentagon described a shift from a wartime coalition to an Iraqi-led security effort, with continued training and intelligence support. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presided over the handover and called it a "new phase" of sovereignty. Baghdad declared four "Sovereignty Days". The withdrawal leaves concerns. Iran and its allied militias hailed it as a victory, and Baghdad's weapons-surrender deadline for armed groups has moved to June 2027. Kurdish officials fear the loss of US air defences, as the region has faced over 1,000 drone and missile attacks since the US-Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February. Officials said a suspected ISIL cell planned attacks timed to the pullout, though the group is at its weakest, with a few hundred fighters.
Congo Ebola outbreak:
Cases surpass 8,000 as health worker shortages and spread deepen crisis
On 30 September, Reuters and other major sources reported that the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak had surpassed 8,067 confirmed cases and 3,901 deaths as of 26 September, a fatality rate of over 48 per cent, making it the country's largest and deadliest on record and the second largest in history after the 2014-2016 West African outbreak. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain for which no vaccine or treatment exists, is spread across 63 health zones in seven provinces, with Ituri the hardest-hit at 6,032 confirmed cases. WHO said the high fatality rate and the large proportion of deaths occurring in communities highlighted persistent challenges in timely case detection and early patient care. Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention data showed the outbreak had outpaced the 2014-2016 West African outbreak in terms of spread over the same period. Response efforts have been scaling up but remain strained. WHO epidemiologists increased from 58 to 114 between July and September, bed capacity rose from 929 to 1,510 across 54 health facilities, and more than 5 million people were sensitised through community engagement. However, over 1,400 additional health professionals are still needed, and health worker shortages have worsened, with 50 workers having died since May and payment disputes triggering strikes. G20 nations committed USD 2.9 billion to fighting the outbreak last week.
About the author
Namrata L Ghanghatkar, Priyanka Makhijani, Urja R Kudalkar are postgraduate students at the Department of Public Policy, Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences. They are currently Research interns at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS),