More than 5.1 million people have returned to their areas of origin in Sudan, while 8.6 million still displaced

Geneva, 21 September 2026 – More than 5.1 million people have returned to their areas of origin in Sudan, while 8.6 million remain displaced, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said today. Many are going back to a country still wracked by conflict, where damaged homes, schools and clinics cannot meet the needs. Without urgent support, families risk being uprooted again. New data from IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) records 5,145,165 returnees in 76 localities across nine states: four per cent more than last month. Another 8,583,274 people are still displaced in 185 localities across all 18 states. This is about one per cent lower than last month and 26 per cent below the peak of the crisis. Even with these new figures, Sudan still hosts one of the largest displaced populations in the world. "More than five million Sudanese have gone home. That says a lot about their courage and their hope," said IOM Director General Amy Pope. "But getting home is only the start. Many families are returning to homes that are damaged, schools that are closed and clinics that barely function. There are few livelihood opportunities. If we don't help them now, many will be forced to move again. We need to invest in these communities today, so people can rebuild their lives and stay." Most returnees, 82 per cent or roughly 4.2 million people, had been displaced inside Sudan. The other 18 per cent, roughly 930,000 people, came back from abroad. Among those returning from abroad, Egypt was the primary country of return (50%), followed by South Sudan (25%), Libya (10%) and Gulf countries (8%). IOM is calling on governments, donors, development partners, international financial institutions and humanitarian organizations to act now. Humanitarian assistance must continue for displaced people and vulnerable returnees, IOM warns. Long-term investment is just as urgent. Basic services must be strengthened, infrastructure restored and livelihoods supported, so that people can remain safely where they return and host communities hosting both returnees and displaced populations can withstand further shocks. While the number of displaced people has declined from its peak, more than 8.5 million people remain uprooted across Sudan, with new displacement continuing in parts of Darfur, Kordofan and Blue Nile due to ongoing insecurity. Sustained investment in life-saving assistance, particularly shelter, non-food items, protection and basic services, remains essential alongside support for returns and recovery. About half of displaced people and 50 per cent of returnees are under 18. Millions face interrupted schooling, limited health care and gaps in protection. Giving them access to basic services and opportunities will be critical to Sudan's long-term recovery and stability. For many returnees, coming home does not mean recovery. Damaged infrastructure, fragile local economies and few livelihood opportunities are putting extreme pressure on returnees and on the communities hosting them, particularly acute in high-return areas, where public services and local infrastructure remain stretched to breaking point. The five million milestone is a rare sign of progress in a prolonged humanitarian crisis, but it is fragile. What the international community does now will determine whether Sudan can move from displacement to recovery, or whether hard-won gains are reversed. For more information, please visit IOM’s Media Centre.