Thousands Cross Borders Back to Sudan Despite Active War
Sudan’s war rages on, pushing millions from their homes in what has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Thousands of refugees have made a surprising choice to return to their homeland despite the ongoing conflict. The civil war has lasted almost two and a half years, and while millions remain displaced, some people choose to cross borders back into active conflict zones.
The conflict grows worse each day. The country now faces extreme shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel. About 25 million people – half the country’s population – need humanitarian aid and protection. This crisis has added by a lot to global displacement numbers, which have reached over 120 million people in 2024. Children make up 40% of this overwhelming figure. The situation has gotten much worse since fighting started in April 2023. Without doubt, the war shows no signs of stopping. This is a big deal as it means that the Famine Review Committee confirmed famine in the Darfur region in August 2024.
Thousands Return to Sudan Despite Active War
Image Source: AP News
Thousands Return to Sudan Despite Active War
Sudanese refugees cross borders back home amid conflict
A remarkable pattern has emerged as the Sudan conflict continues: thousands of refugees are choosing to return to their war-torn homeland. The numbers tell a striking story – over 1.3 million Sudanese people have made their way back to Sudan. This includes one million internally displaced people and more than 320,000 refugees. Most returnees are heading to Khartoum, Al Jazirah, and Sennar states, where the war’s effects remain devastating.
“The thousands of people seeking to return home are driven by hope, resilience and an enduring connection to their country,” stated Othman Belbeisi, Regional Director of the International Organization of Migration. The returning refugees face dangerous conditions. They encounter destroyed infrastructure, ruined schools and hospitals, and constant security threats.
UNHCR confirms rising returnee numbers in 2025
UNHCR officials report that some areas of relative safety have emerged in Sudan, which has encouraged these returns. Mamadou Dian Balde, Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan crisis, saw the devastation in Khartoum during his visit. He noted the severe lack of basic services for people living there.
“More than evidence of people’s desire to return to their homeland, these returns are a desperate call for an end to the war so that people can come back and rebuild their lives,” Balde said after his visit. Many people coming back from Egypt and South Sudan are testing the waters before making final decisions about staying permanently.
Is the war in Sudan still going on? Yes, and worsening
The war in Sudan grows more intense each day, bringing terrible consequences to countless civilians. The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission has documented heavy weapons being used in populated areas. They’ve also noted a sharp increase in sexual and gender-based violence. Relief efforts have become weapons of war, and hospitals and medical facilities are under attack.
“The scale of human suffering continues to deepen. The fragmentation of governance, the militarization of society, and the involvement of foreign actors are fueling an ever-deadlier crisis,” warned the Fact-Finding Mission. The death toll has reached tens of thousands, and over 13 million Sudanese have fled their homes.
Each day, hundreds of people still flee within Sudan and across its borders, especially from the Darfur and Kordofan regions. This mix of people returning while others flee shows Sudan’s complex reality. No single story can capture the full scope of this humanitarian catastrophe.
Why Are Refugees Choosing to Return Now?
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Sudanese refugees are returning home, not because Sudan has improved, but because conditions in nearby countries have gotten worse. This unexpected trend shows the desperate situation these displaced people face.
Limited resources in host countries force people to return
Aid operations don’t have enough money to help refugees in Sudan and its neighboring countries. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees had to cut back support for refugees in Egypt, and thousands now struggle to survive. Money problems are the main reason many Sudanese decide to head back home.
“The situation in Egypt was not good,” one returnee said. “Most of us couldn’t make enough money to survive”. Travel costs have shot up, with tickets from Egypt to Sudan now costing between 4,500 and 5,000 Egyptian pounds (about 80-90 euros). Refugee support systems in Chad and South Sudan, two of the world’s most unstable countries, are stretched thin.
Family ties and land ownership shape decisions
People want to reunite with family members who stayed in Sudan. Many refugees talk about their “overwhelming urge to return” to their homeland. Land means everything to rural Sudanese – it’s their livelihood and pride, both as individuals and tribes.
People in rural areas depend heavily on their land for survival. Many who return want their ancestral lands back, especially in areas that have become somewhat safer. Their connection to the land is so strong that they’ll face serious security risks to reclaim it.
People hope for peace while fighting continues
Fighting still grips much of Sudan, but some areas have become more stable, especially in Khartoum, Sennar, and Al Jazirah States. “Khartoum has become safer and stable, and services are coming back,” a returnee said, but added that “some universities remain closed”.
UNHCR officials say that “those heading home are not passive survivors; they are vital to Sudan’s recovery”. Returning refugees believe they can help “revive local economies, restore community life, and encourage hope” in their communities. Aid organizations stress that people must choose to return freely, with full information and dignity.
These returning refugees show incredible strength in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. They choose to face Sudan’s conflict rather than continue struggling as displaced people.
What Awaits Returnees in War-Torn Sudan?
“We are dangerously close to losing the window to act. The rainy season is nearly upon us. Roads into Darfur will soon be washed out. The humanitarian pipeline—already stretched to the breaking point—will collapse entirely unless the United States acts now to surge aid and help preposition critical supplies.” — Jeremy Konyndyk, President, Refugees International; former Director, USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
People returning to Sudan face a grim reality. The ongoing conflict has torn apart civilian life throughout the country.
Famine and food insecurity in Darfur and beyond
Sudan now faces the world’s worst hunger crisis. About half the population – 24.6 million people – cannot find enough food to eat. The situation has become so severe that 637,000 people face catastrophic hunger levels. This is a big deal as it means that more people face starvation here than anywhere else in the world. People in Darfur have no choice but to eat animal feed due to extreme food shortages. The community kitchens in El Fasher have completely stopped working under siege conditions.
Collapsed healthcare and cholera outbreaks
The conflict has crippled Sudan’s healthcare system. More than 80% of hospitals in war-torn areas no longer work. WHO reports show 156 attacks on healthcare facilities since April 2023 that killed 318 people. A deadly cholera outbreak has struck 13 states, infecting 74,000 people and killing 1,826. White Nile state alone saw 2,700 cases and 65 deaths in just two months. Children under five face the greatest danger, with 3.4 million at high risk.
Destroyed infrastructure and lack of simple services
Explosive weapons have reduced Khartoum’s vital infrastructure to rubble. The city’s water system lies in ruins – both main water stations no longer work. People must drink straight from the Nile or use old wells to survive. Officials estimate Khartoum needs $300 billion for rebuilding, while the whole country requires $700 billion.
Security risks from SAF and RSF clashes
The fighting leaves behind dangerous unexploded weapons in residential areas. Armed groups systematically target civilians with sexual violence. Both sides of the war continue to attack essential civilian infrastructure.
How Is the International Community Responding?
“We have the capacity to save lives. We have the tools to push for peace. But we must summon the political will and moral clarity to act—now—before history repeats itself, again, in Darfur, and reverberates throughout Sudan and the region.” — Jeremy Konyndyk, President, Refugees International; former Director, USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
How Is the International Community Responding?
Aid organizations worldwide face growing challenges as they try to help people returning home and those displaced by the ongoing war in Sudan.
UNHCR and NGOs provide limited aid at border crossings
UNHCR emergency teams work at Sudan’s borders and set up reception centers to identify new arrivals. Humanitarian workers in Chad give out essential relief items, but refugees must often take shelter under trees without clean water and food. UNHCR has started building border reception centers in South Sudan to register and identify vulnerable people who arrive. Groups like INTERSOS and IRC work in many countries to provide shelter, protection services, and healthcare when possible.
Funding shortfalls hinder humanitarian response
Aid agencies have received just 23% of the USD 4.20 billion they need to provide life-saving help inside Sudan. The situation looks worse for refugee support, with only 16% of the USD 1.80 billion needed to help 4.8 million people who fled Sudan. WFP warns that food aid might stop completely in several nearby countries as resources run out. Recent funding cuts have shut down 70% of community kitchens, which affects food access for more than 2.8 million people.
Calls for global attention to the Sudan refugee crisis
Aid partners stress that recovery work must start in safer areas that are now available. Millions of people could face starvation without immediate funding. UNHCR stays active in seven states and tries to deliver aid through direct response, cross-border operations, and remote monitoring. Aid organizations desperately call for “stronger international solidarity with the Sudanese people”.
Sudan’s crisis ranks among the worst humanitarian disasters worldwide. Yet thousands of people return to their homeland despite the ongoing war. Many refugees cross borders to reunite with their families and escape economic hardships in host countries. These people come back to find their country torn apart by conflict, where half the population needs humanitarian aid.
All the same, their choice shows a mix of desperation and hope – a deep connection to their homeland that surpasses logical thinking. Sudan faces the worst hunger crisis globally. The healthcare system has collapsed and can’t deal with cholera outbreaks that affect 74,000 people. The destroyed infrastructure makes survival a daily battle.
The people who return face huge challenges as fighting continues between warring groups. The world community doesn’t deal very well with providing enough support. Humanitarian operations lack proper funding both in Sudan and neighboring countries. Aid agencies have received only 23% of the money they need to save lives.
Some safer areas have emerged in Khartoum, Sennar, and Al Jazirah States. People heading home aren’t just survivors – they could spark Sudan’s recovery. Their strength in the face of extreme hardship shows the human spirit’s power. Without immediate funding, millions will face starvation.
This crisis shows its complexity through ongoing displacement and voluntary returns. Without doubt, Sudan’s future remains uncertain, with rebuilding costs at $700 billion nationwide. Some refugees choose to return rather than face hardships elsewhere, but the war continues to devastate countless lives. The Sudanese people just need stronger international support before this humanitarian disaster claims more lives.
