Sudan’s Conflict & Displacement Crisis: What the Latest Data Shows

Since the war broke out on 15 April 2023, Sudan remains in the grip of a devastating displacement and humanitarian crisis. Millions of people remain displaced inside the country, while others have crossed borders in search of safety. Conflict, food insecurity, and severe drought are compounding the challenges facing displaced families and communities.

This guide covers the figures from the European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre, the IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix, UNHCR, the WHO and other humanitarian agencies. It explains what the numbers mean for people on the ground and what you can do to help.

Sudan’s Displacement Crisis by the Numbers

Here are the headline figures from the ERCC map for September 2026, which draws on IOM DTM data:

• 8,583,274 people are internally displaced (IDPs) inside Sudan.
• 4,681,314 cross-border movements have been recorded into neighboring countries.
• 5,145,165 people have returned to their areas of origin since April 2023. Of these, 4,208,957 returned from elsewhere in Sudan and 936,208 came back from abroad.
• The total number of IDPs has fallen 26% since January 2025.

Taken together, more than 13 million people have been forced from their homes at some point. That matches the roughly 13 million displaced reported by the Associated Press in October 2026. According to the UN Regional Information Centre, 33.7 million people now need humanitarian assistance. That is about two in every three Sudanese.

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Where Sudan’s Displaced People Are: A State-by-State Look

Darfur Carries the Heaviest Load

Darfur is the center of Sudan’s displacement crisis. The five Darfur states host about 5.6 million IDPs, roughly 65% of everyone displaced inside the country:

• South Darfur: 1,765,922
• North Darfur: 1,671,637
• Central Darfur: 994,752
• East Darfur: 809,405
• West Darfur: 351,532

North Darfur is home to Tawila, which the International Rescue Committee says now shelters more than 650,000 displaced people. Many of them fled fighting in and around El Fasher. The IRC also warns that Tawila could see even more arrivals as drought spreads in nearby areas.

Kordofan and the Shifting Frontline

The ERCC map shows clashes and indirect fire across Darfur and the Kordofan states during August and September 2026, based on ACLED event data. West Kordofan (421,263 IDPs), South Kordofan (330,034) and North Kordofan (247,909) all host large displaced populations. Over the summer the UN warned of escalating violence around El Obeid. It said drone attacks had shut down critical services there.

Crossing Borders: Where Sudanese Refugees Are Going

Cross-border movements cover refugees and asylum seekers, as well as nationals of neighboring countries who had been living in Sudan and returned home. The ERCC map records:

1. Egypt: 1,514,827
2. South Sudan: 1,373,819
3. Chad: 1,336,784
4. Libya: 567,849
5. Ethiopia: 184,055
6. Uganda: 96,674
7. Central African Republic: 37,389

Several of these host countries already face serious humanitarian needs of their own. In Chad, UNHCR reports more than 2.2 million forcibly displaced people. The UN has also flagged funding shortfalls affecting Sudanese refugees in Egypt.

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Returns Are Rising, but Return Isn’t Recovery

The 26% drop in IDPs since January 2025 is real progress, and it’s driven largely by people going home to areas where the frontline has moved away. Khartoum has recorded over 2.7 million returns and Aj Jazirah close to 1.3 million.

Going home doesn’t mean life is back to normal, though. Many returnees find damaged houses, looted clinics, broken water systems and few jobs. The UN Development Programme has warned that extreme poverty in Sudan could reach 60%. For returning families, basics like clean water and a working clinic often decide whether they can stay.

Hunger, Drought and the Risk of Famine

Conflict is no longer the only threat. A mid-October IPC alert found that an El Niño-driven drought now affects more than half of Sudan:

• Nearly 19.5 million people, over 40% of the population, face high levels of acute food insecurity, including 135,000 in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe).
• 64% of cropland in North Darfur shows poor plant growth. About half of the cropland in South Darfur, West Kordofan and South Kordofan does too.
• An estimated 825,000 children under five are expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition, and harvests are expected to be near record lows.
• In two South Darfur displacement camps, child acute malnutrition is already above the famine threshold.

As UN News put it, drought and war are pushing Darfur and Kordofan toward famine, with the highest risk expected between October 2026 and January 2027.

A Health System Under Attack

Sudan’s health system has been hit directly by the war. As of October 2026, the WHO has verified:

• 228 attacks on health care since April 2023, which killed 2,055 people and injured 817.
• 37% of health facilities are no longer functioning.
• 26,000+ children with severe acute malnutrition and complications were treated between January and August 2026 across 161 stabilization centers.
• Its own US$97.7 million appeal is only 23% funded.

Women and children are paying a particularly heavy price. UNICEF recorded at least 245 child casualties in the first 90 days of 2026. UN Women reports that the number of people needing support after sexual violence has quadrupled.

What the Data Tells Us: Key Takeaways

If you only remember a few points from the latest figures, make it these:

• The crisis is shifting, not ending. Fewer people are displaced than in early 2025, but violence in Darfur and Kordofan keeps forcing new families to flee.
• Darfur needs the most support. Roughly two in three IDPs are there, and so are many of the localities at risk of famine.
• Hunger and health are now as dangerous as fighting. Drought, malnutrition and a broken health system put children at the greatest risk.
• Returnees need help too. Millions of people going home need water, food and medical care to rebuild their lives.

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How SAPA Is Responding to Sudan’s Conflict and Displacement Crisis

SAPA is a nonprofit of Sudanese American medical professionals. It works with partners on the ground to bring care to the communities hit hardest by Sudan’s conflict and displacement crisis. Its programs respond to the needs the data above points to:

• Healthcare and emergency services: supporting clinics, medical supplies and emergency care where the health system has collapsed.
• Hunger relief: food assistance for displaced and food-insecure families as famine risk rises.
• Clean water access: safe water to protect families from waterborne disease in camps and host communities.
• Save a Life in Sudan: a direct way to fund life-saving care for people caught in the crisis.

→ Donate to Sudan today and help SAPA reach more families in Sudan.

FAQs

1. How many people are displaced by Sudan’s conflict right now?

The ERCC’s September 2026 map, based on IOM DTM data, shows 8,583,274 people internally displaced and 4,681,314 cross-border movements. That’s more than 13 million people in total.

2. When and why did the war in Sudan start?

Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on 15 April 2023. It quickly spread from Khartoum to Darfur, Kordofan and beyond, as UN reporting documents.

3. Which parts of Sudan have the most displaced people?

Darfur hosts the most. South Darfur (about 1.77 million IDPs) and North Darfur (about 1.67 million) lead the country, according to IOM DTM figures from August 2026.

4. Where are Sudanese refugees fleeing to?

Mostly to neighboring countries. Egypt has recorded the largest number of arrivals, followed by South Sudan, Chad, Libya, Ethiopia, Uganda and the Central African Republic. You can track the regional picture on UNHCR’s Sudan Situation portal.

5. Are people returning home in Sudan?

Yes. More than 5.1 million people have returned to their areas of origin since April 2023, mainly to Khartoum and Aj Jazirah, according to IOM DTM. Many of them come back to damaged homes and limited services.

6. Is there famine in Sudan?

The October 2026 IPC alert warns of a serious risk of famine in parts of Darfur and Kordofan through January 2027. Child malnutrition in two South Darfur camps is already above the famine threshold, per the IRC.

7. How many people in Sudan need humanitarian aid?

About 33.7 million people, roughly two-thirds of the population, need assistance, according to the UN.

8. How has the conflict affected healthcare in Sudan?

The WHO has verified 228 attacks on health care since April 2023, and 37% of health facilities have stopped functioning. That leaves millions without reliable access to care.

9. How is drought making the crisis worse?

An El Niño-driven drought now affects more than half of Sudan. It’s damaging crops in Darfur and Kordofan and depleting food stocks, AP reports.

10. How can I help people affected by the crisis in Sudan?

You can give to trusted organizations working on the ground. SAPA’s Save a Life in Sudan campaign funds medical care, hunger relief and clean water for displaced families. Sharing verified information also helps keep attention on Sudan.