Nearly 400,000 Sudanese people who were forced to flee due to the ongoing war have returned to their homes over the past two and a half months, according to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Between December and March, approximately 396,738 individuals resettled in areas that have been recaptured by the army from paramilitary forces, as Sudan’s military advances in central regions.
Conflict and Displacement
Sudan has been engulfed in a violent conflict since April 2023, when fighting broke out between the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Many of the returning families have moved back to Sennar and al-Jazira, which were reclaimed by the army in December and January, respectively. Others have returned to Khartoum, where government forces have recently regained control of large areas and appear close to pushing out RSF fighters.
Despite the destruction, including looted and burned homes, displaced Sudanese are returning in significant numbers after more than a year of instability.
Humanitarian Crisis and Food Insecurity
While some displaced individuals are returning, the broader humanitarian crisis in Sudan continues to escalate. More than 11.5 million people remain internally displaced, while an additional 3.5 million have sought refuge in neighboring countries. The United Nations has warned that parts of Sudan have already fallen into famine, with nearly eight million more on the brink of starvation.
Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, revealed that only 6.3% of the necessary funding for critical aid had been secured. Nearly 25 million Sudanese face severe food insecurity, making the country one of the worst humanitarian crises globally.
A Country Divided
The war has effectively split Sudan into two territories. The Sudanese army holds control over the north and east, while the RSF continues to dominate nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south. As fighting continues, Sudan’s displaced population remains caught between efforts to return home and the worsening humanitarian conditions on the ground.