Since April 2023, Sudan has been trapped in a devastating conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). What began as a power struggle between rival generals has evolved into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing millions and altering migration patterns across East and Central Africa. The war has torn through communities, decimated livelihoods, and pushed millions to flee in search of safety making Sudan not only a battleground but also a migration epicentre.
A Nation in Turmoil More than 10 million people are now internally displaced within Sudan one of the largest numbers of internally displaced persons (IDPs) recorded globally. Entire neighbourhoods in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Darfur lie in ruins. The United Nations estimates that over 24 million Sudanese face acute hunger, while famine conditions have emerged in parts of Darfur and Kordofan. Basic services have collapsed; hospitals are looted, water systems destroyed, and schools turned into shelters or military bases.
The human toll is staggering. Families have been torn apart, with many fleeing on foot to neighbouring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Over 4 million people have crossed Sudan’s borders since the conflict began. For most, displacement is not a single journey but a repeated cycle of movement, uncertainty, and loss.
The Migration Crisis Unfolding
The crisis in Sudan is not confined within its borders. It has created a ripple effect, reshaping migration routes across Africa. In Chad, refugee camps are overflowing, straining already limited resources. In South Sudan, which is still recovering from its own civil war, tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees are competing for food and shelter with returnees. Egypt has seen a sharp rise in irregular crossings, as desperate families attempt to rebuild their lives in a country also grappling with economic challenges.
The majority of those displaced are women and children, many of whom face heightened risks of gender-based violence, trafficking, and malnutrition. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), thousands of families have fled intense fighting in the White Nile State alone. Yet, while millions flee, a counterflow of movement has also emerged returnees heading back to destroyed homes in Khartoum or Nyala, driven not by stability but by exhaustion, hope, or lack of alternatives.
The Complex Reality of Returns Between late 2024 and September 2025, more than 2.6 million people reportedly returned to Sudan. Some 500,000 individuals were recorded returning to Khartoum in a single month. While these returns are often portrayed as signs of resilience, they mask a grim reality: many returnees face ruined homes, no access to water or electricity, and constant insecurity. In several regions, fighting resumes within days of people’s return. Without strong humanitarian support and political stability, such movements risk becoming temporary adding to the cycle of displacement rather than ending it.
Regional and Global Implications
Sudan’s war has redefined the geography of displacement in the Horn of Africa. Neighbouring countries many of them fragile themselves are absorbing millions of refugees at immense cost. This strain threatens to destabilize border regions, intensify competition for resources, and complicate existing migration management frameworks.
For international organizations and migration scholars, Sudan represents a test case for how intertwined conflict, climate stress, and governance failures can accelerate forced migration. The crisis also exposes the limitations of current humanitarian responses. Despite repeated appeals, funding for Sudan’s relief operations remains drastically below target, forcing agencies to scale down aid just as needs reach historic highs.
Moreover, the conflict is driving a new wave of irregular migration toward North Africa and Europe. Smugglers and traffickers are exploiting Sudan’s chaos, offering unsafe passage routes through Libya and the Mediterranean. What begins as forced displacement within Sudan increasingly morphs into a transnational migration challenge.
Beyond Borders
The Human Face of Displacement Behind the statistics are human stories farmers who lost their land in Darfur, students whose education ended overnight, mothers who have buried their children during the trek to safety. These stories rarely make headlines, but they represent the true face of Sudan’s exodus. Displacement is not merely movement; it is a loss of identity, stability, and belonging.
Amid this despair, local resilience remains striking. Grassroots networks, women’s groups, and youth volunteers continue to provide food, shelter, and communication for displaced persons where formal aid cannot reach. Such community-led responses underscore the importance of local agency in humanitarian action a lesson that global migration policy must embrace.
What Lies Ahead As the war drags on, three factors will determine Sudan’s migration future. First is humanitarian access: millions remain trapped in conflict zones unreachable by aid convoys. Second is regional policy coherence: neighbouring states must coordinate protection and integration frameworks rather than responding in isolation. Third is peace and governance: without a sustainable ceasefire and reconstruction plan, any return or reintegration effort will be premature and fragile.
A Call for Rethinking Migration Governance
Sudan’s crisis highlights a broader truth about African migration it cannot be viewed solely through the lens of movement. Migration in contexts like Sudan is about protection, resilience, and survival. It demands long-term approaches that integrate humanitarian aid with development planning and conflict resolution.
For policymakers, this means investing in border management that upholds rights rather than restricts them, supporting host communities, and rebuilding the infrastructure of return areas. For researchers, it offers a crucial moment to study how forced migration intersects with state collapse, regional diplomacy, and social adaptation.
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