The number of Sudanese nationals returning from Egypt has seen a sharp increase in the first quarter of 2025, suggesting a possible shift in displacement trends, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Data from IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) shows that between January and March 2025, the average monthly return rate was nearly seven times higher than the monthly figures recorded in 2024.
Approximately 72,039 individuals returned to Sudan from Egypt during the first three months of the year—almost double the total number of returns (42,418) recorded throughout all of 2024. Since tracking began in January 2024, around 114,457 people have crossed back into Sudan from Egypt.
Most returns took place through the Ashkeet border point (87%), while the remaining 13% were registered at Argeen. The majority of those returning were originally displaced from Sudan’s capital, Khartoum (71%), and Al Jazirah state (22%).
The IOM noted that if the current trend continues, the number of returnees could rise substantially over the coming months, potentially reaching several hundred thousand before the end of the year.
This development comes amid ongoing instability in Sudan, where fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has continued since the outbreak of war in April 2023. Since then, nearly 4 million people have fled the country, according to IOM figures.