Between November 2024 and September 2025, over one million people returned to Khartoum, Sudan, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). These families are seeking to rebuild their lives after months of displacement caused by ongoing conflict. Ugochi Daniels, IOM Deputy Director General for Operations, highlighted that while the return of families reflects resilience, Khartoum remains heavily damaged, with homes in disrepair and basic services barely functioning.
Despite these returns, only about a quarter of the estimated 3.8 million people who fled the Khartoum region have come back. An additional 2.7 million people may return if conditions improve. Across Sudan, 2.6 million return movements were recorded during the same period, including over 500,000 people returning from neighboring countries such as Egypt, South Sudan, and Libya.
Although some areas show isolated pockets of stability, the overall humanitarian situation remains severe. Diseases like cholera, dengue, and malaria continue to spread, making urgent investments in clean water, healthcare, and other essential services critical for recovery. Many returnees are living in damaged homes or collective centers, often with limited access to clean water, healthcare, or protection. Over half of them reside in rural areas, and nearly half are children.
The crisis has been particularly acute in El Fasher, North Darfur, where over one million people have fled since the outbreak of the civil war in April 2023. Thousands remain trapped amid ongoing violence, including indiscriminate shelling, sexual assaults, and ethnically targeted attacks, with some civilians resorting to consuming animal feed to survive. Recent IOM reports indicate that over 13,000 people were newly displaced in North Darfur and West Kordofan between 15 and 20 October 2025, as insecurity intensifies. Aid efforts continue in accessible areas, with displaced families in Tawila recently receiving support after days of walking to escape violence.
Sudan’s civil war, which pits the Sudanese Armed Forces against the Rapid Support Forces, has displaced more than ten million people and destroyed large parts of Khartoum, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. IOM continues to work with partners to provide life-saving aid, collect critical data for relief operations, and urge both warring parties to end hostilities. Despite the enormous challenges, the people of Sudan demonstrate remarkable determination to rebuild their lives once peace is restored, though conditions remain extremely fragile.
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