The United Nations reported on Tuesday, April 22, 2026, that nearly four million people have voluntarily returned to their places of origin in Sudan despite the ongoing civil war, warning they face stark humanitarian challenges. The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) released the data, noting returns are driven by a lack of safety and services in displacement areas.
Now in its fourth year, the conflict between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. The IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix indicates the returns are concentrated in states like South Darfur, Aj Jazirah, and North Darfur, though many areas remain highly insecure.
Returnees are encountering destroyed infrastructure, a collapsed health system, and severe shortages of food, water, and shelter. The UN emphasizes that these returns do not signify stability, but rather a desperate choice amid untenable conditions elsewhere, with many lacking basic services and protection.
Humanitarian access remains severely constrained by fighting, bureaucratic hurdles, and attacks on aid workers, complicating relief efforts. The UN's 2026 Humanitarian Response Plan for Sudan remains critically underfunded, exacerbating the suffering of millions displaced both inside and outside the country.
