Sudan has been grappling with conflict and displacement since the start of the Darfur crisis in 2003. By the end of 2022, over 3.7 million people were internally displaced, with the majority living in camps in Darfur. Another 800,000 Sudanese were living as refugees in neighbouring countries such as Chad, South Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia.
At the same time, the country was home to over 1 million refugees – the second-highest refugee population in Africa. The majority were from South Sudan and lived in Khartoum and White Nile States but refugees fleeing the crisis in northern Ethiopia starting in late 2020 also found refuge in eastern Sudan and others came from Eritrea, Syria and the Central African Republic.
Some of those now fleeing the country are refugees attempting to return home or to other neighbouring countries, even if that means going to areas that are far from stable or ready to receive them.
Chart: Displacement prior to April 2023
