More than three million people have returned to their areas of origin in Sudan, despite the extensive damage to housing, basic services, and vital infrastructure. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is calling for sustained funding to meet the rising needs in areas of return and to support solutions that can help end the cycle of displacement.
"These returns speak to the resilience and determination of Sudanese families who want to rebuild their lives at home," said IOM Director General Amy Pope. "But returning home does not mean returning to safety or stability. Many families are arriving to destroyed houses, limited services and uncertain futures, and without predictable support, return risks becoming another chapter of hardship rather than a path to recovery."
The highest number of returns were recorded in Khartoum State, where more than 1.3 million people returned, followed by Aj Jazirah State, according to IOM's latest data. Overall, 83 per cent of returnees came from internal displacement, while 17 per cent returned from neighbouring countries, including Egypt, South Sudan, and Libya, as well as from the Gulf States.
The number of returnees continues to increase, signaling pockets of perceived relative security in parts of the country. With most returnees going back to their areas of origin or to nearby areas, the scale of shelter needs and the urgent requirement for the reconstruction of homes and the restoration of essential infrastructure, including water systems, health facilities, and schools remains high. IOM stresses that returnees must be supported with dignified living conditions, access to services and protection, particularly as many are returning with almost nothing and limited prospects.
However, across areas in Darfur and Kordofan where violence continues to escalate, increased displacement has been recorded. El Fasher in North Darfur in particular has the highest number, with more than 1.2 million people displaced, representing 13 per cent of Sudan's total. This reflects the growing concentration of displaced populations across Darfur and the continued insecurity forcing displacement from camps, including Zamzam and Abu Shouk in North Darfur.
Sudan remains the world's largest displacement crisis as the conflict nears its third year. More than half of displaced people are living in urban areas across the country, placing immense pressure on already overstretched services and host communities.
As the humanitarian community strategically plans for this growing movement trend, IOM reiterates the urgent need for sustained humanitarian funding to address the immediate needs of returnees and displacement-affected communities, while supporting longer-term recovery and durable solutions. Without adequate resources and renewed efforts toward peace, millions of Sudanese families will remain trapped in protracted displacement and instability, unable to provide for themselves or their families.
