Over half a million refugees return to Sudan despite ongoing conflict

The IOM report, covering January 2024 through December 2025, documented 529,661 people re-entering Sudan. Approximately 89% of returnees came from Egypt, while fewer than 11% crossed from Chad. Smaller numbers returned from Ethiopia and other neighboring countries, signaling shifting population movements despite the country's devastating civil war.

Reasons for return amid ongoing crisis

Improved security conditions motivated 41% of returnees, the IOM survey found. Economic factors also played a significant role, with 26% citing job and livelihood opportunities as their primary reason for returning. Family visits accounted for 19% of returns, while legal issues prompted 9%. Approximately two-thirds of returnees expressed intention to travel to their original home areas, suggesting cautious optimism about conditions in their communities of origin.

Conflict continues to displace millions

The returns come against a backdrop of intense fighting that has created one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes. Since April 2023, clashes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have killed tens of thousands and displaced approximately 13 million people. Heavy fighting persists in Darfur and the three Kordofan states, where conflict intensified last October. The war has forced roughly 4.5 million Sudanese to flee to neighboring countries, according to UN figures, from a total population estimated at 48 million.

Humanitarian implications

The simultaneous flows of both returnees and those still fleeing highlight the complex dynamics of Sudan's crisis. While some refugees feel conditions have improved enough to return, famine conditions persist in many areas and fighting continues unabated in multiple regions. The IOM data suggests Sudanese civilians are making difficult calculations about safety and survival, with some choosing to return despite the ongoing conflict that shows no signs of resolution.