Sudan records the return of 4.1 million displaced persons and refugees despite the ongoing war.

May 13, 2026 (PEN) Sudan has recorded the return of some 4.1 million displaced persons and refugees to their original areas despite the ongoing war, in a development described by the International Organization for Migration as a "glimmer of hope" amid one of the world's largest displacement crises.

The head of the International Organization for Migration's mission in Sudan, Mohamed Rifaat, said that more than 80% of the returnees came from within the country to 9 states, primarily Khartoum, Al-Jazirah and Sennar.

Rifaat explained that the number of internally displaced persons has decreased by 23% since January 2025, when it reached 12 million people.

Rifaat warned of the harsh conditions faced by returnees, noting that 70% of Khartoum’s homes are partially or completely destroyed, and that most areas of return suffer from a lack of electricity, water, health and educational services.

He added that most of those returning are women and children, and they are returning to cities that have been subjected to what he described as "systematic destruction," but they prefer to return in the hope of rebuilding their lives.

The UN official attributed the weak humanitarian response to a decline in funding in 2025 to a level below what was required, which directly affected the health, education and protection sectors, especially the protection of women and children from gender-based violence.

He pointed out that the shelter and non-food items sectors are among the most underfunded, citing as an example the Tawila region, where more than 85% of the approximately 500,000 displaced people are suffering from a severe shortage of shelter following the attacks on El Fasher.

The organization is currently working on three main areas: improving services in areas of return and displacement, providing job opportunities and income for vulnerable families, and supporting the integration of returnees to prevent renewed displacement.

Rifaat warned that any new escalation could cause widespread waves of displacement, while stressing that the Sudanese people's attachment to their land and their desire to work "give hope".

Sudan has been facing one of the world’s largest displacement crises since the outbreak of war in April 2023, with more than 12 million people displaced, before the number declined by 23% since January 2025 due to waves of return, while a lack of funding is hindering reconstruction efforts and the provision of services, especially for women and children in the devastated areas.