Sudanese Returns Offer Fragile Hope Amid War’s Ruins, UN Urges Global Action

As the brutal conflict in Sudan grinds into its third year, a fragile and hopeful trend has emerged: over 1 million internally displaced Sudanese have returned to their homes, and an additional 320,000 have crossed back into the country—mostly from Egypt and South Sudan. Many of these returnees are cautiously re-entering areas of relative safety, despite the profound destruction that greets them.

Return to Ruins: Hope in the Midst of Despair

The majority of returnees are heading to Khartoum, Sennar, and Al Jazirah States—regions that, while marginally safer, bear the deep scars of prolonged warfare. These areas have suffered large-scale devastation, with entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble and public infrastructure—such as roads, power grids, water systems, schools, and hospitals—either decimated or repurposed as emergency shelters for displaced families.

Yet, even amid this devastation, the movement back home is driven by an overwhelming desire to reclaim normalcy, regain dignity, and reconnect with community and country. However, this desire is often unmet with sufficient support, leaving returnees vulnerable to further trauma, deprivation, and danger.

UN and IOM Officials Witness Devastation Firsthand

A joint delegation of Regional Directors from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) recently visited Khartoum, witnessing firsthand the collapse of essential services and dire humanitarian conditions. Refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people remain trapped in a humanitarian vacuum, many without access to aid since the war began in April 2023.

This visit follows a February mission by UNDP Regional Director Abdallah Al Dardari, aimed at laying groundwork for long-term solutions to support the reintegration of returnees and ensure access to basic services such as healthcare, shelter, and livelihoods.

“Anyone who’s been forced from home knows the overwhelming urge to return,” Al Dardari said. “But without urgent action, people will be coming back to cities that are in ruins. We are in a race against time to clear the rubble and provide water, power, and health care.”

Calls for Increased International Funding and Solidarity

Humanitarian operations in Sudan and neighboring host countries remain massively underfunded, with aid agencies now issuing urgent appeals for international financial support. As more Sudanese attempt to return home, host countries—already stretched thin—are facing increasing pressure on their own resources.

“These returns are more than evidence of people’s desire to return to their homeland. They are a desperate call for an end to the war,” said Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR’s Regional Refugee Coordinator for the Sudan crisis.

Balde emphasized that while these returns mark a hopeful yet fragile shift, they do not negate the continued suffering of millions still trapped by conflict or living in overcrowded refugee camps across the region.

“We urge stronger international solidarity with the Sudanese people uprooted by this horrifying war and with the countries that have opened their doors to them.”

Challenges for Returnees: From Hope to Hardship

While some areas have seen a reduction in active fighting, conditions remain perilous:

• Unexploded ordnance litters streets and neighborhoods.

• Sexual and gender-based violence, particularly against women and girls, is widespread.

• Child protection risks have intensified, with lost access to education and family separation.

• Lost or destroyed identity documents prevent access to healthcare, food aid, and legal services.

IOM Regional Director Othman Belbeisi, speaking from Port Sudan after his visit to Khartoum, stressed that return must remain voluntary, informed, and dignified, and that returnees are key to Sudan’s future.

“Those heading home are not passive survivors—they are vital to Sudan’s recovery. With the right support, they can revive local economies, restore community life, and foster hope. But they cannot do it alone.”

A Long Road Ahead: Peace and Rebuilding

Despite the partial returns, conflict persists in many parts of the country, particularly in Darfur and Kordofan, driving hundreds more to flee daily. The situation remains volatile, and a comprehensive political solution is urgently needed to end the fighting and open the path to national reconciliation and reconstruction.

The UN and its partners argue that now is the time to begin recovery efforts in accessible areas, even as humanitarian work continues in active conflict zones. This dual approach will allow for rebuilding to begin without waiting for total peace—while also ensuring that no population is left behind.

The World Cannot Look Away

The Sudan crisis has already displaced more than 9 million people, creating one of the largest and most underfunded humanitarian emergencies in the world. As returnees begin to rebuild amid ruins, their resilience must be matched by global support, political commitment, and timely funding.

Without these, the hopeful return of many Sudanese will falter under the weight of insecurity, poverty, and neglect—deepening an already monumental tragedy.