Khartoum, April 17 (Darfur24)
Data from the International Organization for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) shows that approximately 618,519 Sudanese returned from neighboring countries between January 2024 and February 2026, despite the conflict entering its fourth year.
According to the data, the majority of returnees came from Egypt (87%), followed by Chad (13%), while less than 1% returned from Ethiopia.
The report indicated that 48% of returnees cited improved security conditions in their areas of origin as the main reason for returning. In comparison, 25% pointed to the availability of job opportunities and livelihoods. Family-related reasons accounted for 23% of returns, while 8% were forced to return due to legal challenges in host countries.
In terms of transportation, public transport accounted for 76% of return movements, followed by those returning on foot or using simple means (13%), private vehicles (10%), and large commercial trucks (1%).
The data comes amid broader return trends. Two days earlier, the International Organization for Migration announced that nearly 4 million Sudanese have returned to their areas since the outbreak of the war on April 15, 2023, while about 8.9 million people remain internally displaced as of the end of March.
The conflict has triggered what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest displacement crisis, with more than 15 million people, roughly one-third of Sudan’s population, forced to flee their homes.
Although displacement peaked in January 2025 at 11.58 million internally displaced persons, the figure has since declined by 23% due to increasing returns, but remains more than double pre-war levels.