KHARTOUM – More than 1.1 million people entered Sudan through seven border crossings between January 2024 and August 2026, with about 80% arriving from Egypt, according to new data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix recorded 1,110,605 entries during the period but cautioned that border crossings do not necessarily represent permanent returns or an end to displacement.
The report said improved security in areas of origin was the most frequently cited reason for entering Sudan, alongside family reunification, trade opportunities and legal or economic difficulties in countries of displacement.
Nearly 888,000 Entries From Egypt
The report recorded 887,715 entries from Egypt since January 2024, including 418,658 during the first eight months of 2026.
That figure was equivalent to about 98% of all arrivals recorded from Egypt during the whole of 2025.
According to the report, 64% of movements from Egypt took place through organized voluntary return programmes, while 31% were spontaneous returns without programme support.
Another 5% were classified as forced returns, including deportations.
The monitored crossings with Egypt were Argeen and Ashkeet.
The report said organized return programmes increasingly included university employees and their families, after earlier phases had focused more heavily on government workers and their dependants.
It also linked a rise in spontaneous returns to university registration shifting back to Khartoum, the closure of many registration centres abroad and rising living costs for families dependent on money transferred from Sudan.
More Than 217,000 Enter From Chad
From Chad, IOM recorded 217,043 entries since August 2025, including 157,656 during the first eight months of 2026.
Most movements were recorded through Um Dukhun and Adikong-El Geneina, while the Tina crossing remained closed because of deteriorating security conditions.
The report noted important differences between movements from Egypt and Chad.
About 79% of people surveyed after arriving from Egypt said they had been displaced following the outbreak of the war in April 2023, compared with 20% of those arriving from Chad.
IOM linked the difference partly to longstanding cross-border movement patterns and older displacement affecting some communities along the Chad-Sudan border.
Improved Security Main Reason for Return
Among those surveyed, 54% cited improved security in their areas of origin as a reason for entering Sudan.
Another 21% mentioned family visits or reunification, while 20% cited trade or business opportunities.
A similar proportion cited legal difficulties abroad, and 13% pointed to economic hardship in areas where they had been displaced.
Respondents were allowed to select more than one reason.
The proportion citing legal difficulties rose from 8% in February to 20% in August 2026, while those pointing to improved security increased from 40% in October 2025 to 54% in August 2026.
11% Plan to Leave Sudan Again
The report also highlighted uncertainty over whether current movements will lead to permanent resettlement.
About 68% of respondents said they intended to return to their areas of origin within three months, while 21% planned to move elsewhere inside Sudan.
Another 11% said they intended to leave Sudan again, up from 5% in October 2025.
IOM stressed that some people remain near border areas before continuing their journeys, while others enter Sudan temporarily and later leave again.
For that reason, the number of border crossings does not necessarily match the number of returnees recorded in areas of origin.
Millions Remain Displaced Across Borders
The movements follow large-scale displacement triggered by the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023.
The report cited a cumulative estimate of about 4.68 million people displaced from Sudan into neighboring countries since the start of the conflict.
IOM noted that this figure covers a different period and geographic scope from the border-entry data and should not be directly compared with the 1.1 million recorded crossings.
In the area of protection, 9% of surveyed travelers said they crossed without official documentation.
The report also cautioned against interpreting the limited number of complaints at the Egyptian border as evidence that travelers faced no problems, noting that 89% of respondents there declined to answer questions about their border experiences.
