Displacement Report

Since 25 June 2024, DTM monitored numerous clashes across Sennar state that triggered widespread displacement. 

Reported clashes displaced an estimated 725,965 individuals (145,193 households) between 25 June and 29 July 2024.

The Focused Flash Alert provides a numeric breakdown of displacement due the recent escalations, including estimates on secondary displacement of IDPs. All figures should be understood as preliminary estimates, pending further verification. 

DTM Sudan releases Early Warning Flash Alerts to provide immediate updates on specific incidents or armed clashes that spurred displacement.  Early Warning Flash Alerts are distributed via the DTM Sudan mailing list. For more granular information on displacement and mobility, see Sudan Mobility Update (04).

This report was produced in partnership with Social Inquiry, a non-profit research organization focused on cross-disciplinary research in conflict-affected settings.

The report provides an overview and contextual analysis of mixed cross-border movements from Sudan to neighbouring countries during one year of the conflict (15 April 2023-07 April 2024).


Key Findings:

• An estimated 2,044,248 individuals displaced across borders from Sudan into neighbouring countries during one year of conflict between SAF and RSF.

• Approximately 63 per cent of arrivals tracked in these countries were Sudanese nationals, while an estimated 37 per cent were third-country nationals or returnees.

• The majority of cross-border movements were reported in Chad (36%), South Sudan (32%), and Egypt (25%).

• Most displacement occurred during the first months of the conflict, between April and June 2023, and surged again between December 2023 and January 2024, reflecting the escalation of conflict in the Kordofan states and the expansion of conflict into Aj Jazirah state.

• An average of approximately 170,000 individuals crossed the borders each month from Sudan into neighbouring states between April 2023 and April 2024.

• Chad received the highest influx of cross-border movements, with an estimated 737,679 individuals arriving in Chad from Sudan between April 2023 and April 2024.


For further information, see One Year of Conflict in Sudan: Visualizing the World’s Largest Displacement Crisis.

The Sudan Mobility Overview provides an in-depth analysis of displacement and mobility in Sudan between 01 May - 03 July 2024. This bi-monthly report summarizes displacement pathways, movement intentions, and humanitarian needs of IDPs in Sudan. 

DTM Sudan relies on a network of 470 enumerators and 6,381 key informants to collect data from 8,620 locations across all 18 states in Sudan. 

Displacement Figures

• DTM Sudan estimates that 10,594,576 individuals (2,129,632 households) are internally displaced in Sudan, as of 03 July 2024.
• An estimated 7,794,480 individuals were displaced since 15 April 2023. 
• An estimated 2,238,671 individuals crossed borders into neighbouring countries since 15 April 2023. 
• 27% of IDPs who were initially displaced prior to the onset of conflict on 15 April 2023 were displaced again after 15 April 2023. 
• 55% of IDPs were children under the age of 18-years-old. 

Highlights

• Approximately 50 per cent of IDPs were hosted across the Darfur states, with nearly 17 per cent of all IDPs hosted in South Darfur alone. 
• Over a third (35%) of all IDPs were displaced from Khartoum state. 
• Food remained the highest reported need among displaced households: over 97 per cent of IDPs across Sudan were hosted in localities with high levels of acute food insecurity or worse (IPC Level 3+). Food was reportedly unaffordable for an estimated 89 per cent of displaced households. 
• Over 20 per cent of the population in Sudan was displaced, either internally or across borders, since 15 April 2023. 
• Sudan hosts approximately 14 per cent of all IDPs worldwide, and approximately 1 in 7 IDPs worldwide are Sudanese.

Since 01 April 2024, DTM monitored numerous clashes across Al Fasher and other localities in North Darfur state that triggered widespread displacement. 

Reported clashes displaced an estimated 328,981 individuals (65,933 households) between 01 April 2024 and 30 June 2024. 

The Focused Flash Alert provides a numeric breakdown of displacement due the recent escalations from 01 April -30 June 2024. All figures should be understood as preliminary estimates, pending further verification. For more information, see Focused Flash Alert North Darfur (Update 002) and (Update 001).  

DTM Sudan releases Early Warning Flash Alerts to provide immediate updates on specific incidents or armed clashes that spurred displacement.  Early Warning Flash Alerts are distributed via the DTM Sudan mailing list. For more granular information on displacement and mobility, see Sudan Mobility Update (03). 

This report reflects data corresponding to Sudan Mobility Update (3) dataset. The dataset is available here.

Overview:
This report provides an overview of the total population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan, including those displaced both before and after the onset of conflict on 15 April 2023.  

Key Findings:

• An estimated total of 10,540,215 IDPs were displaced across 8,556 locations, in 183 localities in all 18 states in Sudan.
• An estimated 7,720,119 individuals were displaced internally within Sudan since 15 April 2023. 
• An estimated 26 per cent of IDPs who were initially displaced prior to the onset of current conflict experienced secondary displacement since 15 April 2023. 
• Approximately 2,196,355 individuals crossed borders into neighbouring countries since 15 April 2023. 
• The top states of origin among IDPs were Khartoum (36%), South Darfur (20%), and North Darfur (14%).  
• The states hosting the most IDPs were South Darfur (17%), North Darfur (14%) and Central Darfur (8%). 
• Over half (55%) of IDPs were reportedly children under the age of 18-years-old. 

Note: The number of IDPs displaced post 15 April 2023 (7,720,119 IDPs) includes the estimated 1,000,676 IDPs who were initially displaced prior to 15 April 2023 and experienced secondary displacement since 15 April 2023. DTM Sudan defines an internally displaced person as any person who has been forced or obliged to flee from their habitual residence due to an event dating from 2003 onwards.

This report represents an overview of DTM Early Warning Flash Alerts published between April and May 2024.

DTM Sudan released 62 flash alerts reporting on incidents of sudden displacement between April and May 2024, including incidents related to armed clashes (23 incidents), natural disasters (21 incidents), attacks or fears of attacks (16 incidents), and inter-communal conflicts (2 incidents). States with the most reported incidents were: North Darfur (23 incidents), North Kordofan (9 incidents), and South Kordofan (7 incidents).

Notably, DTM Sudan published more flash alerts during April and May 2024 than any other two-month reporting period since the onset of conflict on 15 April 2023, publishing twice as many alerts compared to February and March 2024 (31 published flash alerts). The increase primarily reflected the escalation in clashes across Al Fasher, North Darfur.

Note: DTM Sudan regularly releases Early Warning Flash Alerts to report on specific incidents that triggered or may trigger sudden displacement in Sudan. Flash alerts provide preliminary estimates of displacement figures due to a specific incidents. Figures in flash alerts therefore may or may not be indicative of broader displacement dynamics. More comprehensive information about displacement and mobility in Sudan is available in the Sudan Mobility Update. Early Warning Flash Alerts are distributed via the DTM Sudan mailing list. 

Since 01 April 2024, DTM monitored numerous clashes across Al Fasher and other localities in North Darfur state. According to DTM field teams, clashes triggered widespread displacement across North Darfur state. As of 31 May 2024, approximately 129,825 individuals (approximately 25,965 households) were displaced in Al Fasher locality due to the numerous clashes since 01 April 2024.

The Focused Flash Alert provides a numeric breakdown of population estimates affected by the recent escalations from 01 April -31 May 2024. All figures should be understood as preliminary estimates, pending further verification.

DTM Sudan releases Early Warning Flash Alerts to provide immediate updates on specific incidents or armed clashes that spurred displacement.  Early Warning Flash Alerts are distributed via the DTM Sudan mailing list. For more information, see Focused Flash Alert North Darfur (Update 001). 

Following the increase in localized displacement due to fires, DTM Sudan released the following report summarizing DTM updates on displacement due to fire incidents across Sudan, from 08 May to 21 May 2024.

DTM field teams reported five fire incidents across North Darfur (1), North Kordofan (2), White Nile (1), and Northern (1) states. Some fires were reportedly caused by increased temperatures and drier climate conditions, while others were due to household accidents.

Highlights 

• Fires displaced an estimated 575 individuals (approximately 115 households) between 08 May and 21 May 2024.
• Over 133 structures (126 houses and seven farms) were destroyed or partially damaged by the fires. 
• The fires resulted in localized displacement: the majority of displaced households sought shelter with host communities within the same locations.

This report reflects data corresponding to Sudan Mobility Update (1) dataset. The dataset is available here. 

Overview:

This report provides an overview of the total population of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan, including those displaced both before and after the onset of conflict on 15 April 2023.  
 
The displacement crisis in Sudan has been unfolding for over two decades, with roots in the Darfur conflict beginning in 2003. Prior to the onset of conflict on 15 April 2023, Sudan already hosted an estimated 3,820,772 IDPs. The majority (80%) reportedly originated from Darfur states, and most were initially displaced between 2003 and 2010. Of these IDPs, many experienced secondary displacement after 15 April 2023. Since 15 April 2023, an estimated 7,111,788 individuals were displaced internally within Sudan — including those who experienced secondary displacement. 
 
When accounting for those displaced both before and after 15 April 2023, DTM estimated that Sudan hosted a total of 9,957,655 IDPs.

Key Findings:

• An estimated total of 9,957,655 IDPs were displaced across 7,869 locations, in 183 localities in all 18 states in Sudan.
• An estimated 7,111,788 individuals were displaced internally within Sudan since 15 April 2023. 
• An estimated 26 per cent of IDPs who were initially displaced prior to the onset of current conflict experienced secondary displacement since 15 April 2023. 
• Approximately 2,111,791 individuals crossed borders into neighbouring countries since 15 April 2023. 
• The top states of origin among IDPs were Khartoum (36%), South Darfur (21%), and North Darfur (12%).  
• The states hosting the most IDPs were South Darfur (18%), North Darfur (13%) and Central Darfur (9%). 
• Over half (56%) of IDPs were reportedly children under the age of 18-years-old. 

Note: The number of IDPs displaced post 15 April 2023 (7,111,788 IDPs) includes the estimated 974,905 IDPs who were initially displaced prior to 15 April 2023 and experienced secondary displacement since 15 April 2023. DTM Sudan defines an internally displaced person as any person who has been forced or obliged to flee from their habitual residence due to an event dating from 2003 onwards.

Following the increase in localized displacement due to fires, DTM Sudan released the following report summarizing DTM updates on displacement due to fire incidents across Sudan, from 29 April to 07 May 2024.

DTM field teams reported seven fire incidents across North Darfur (2), South Darfur (2), East Darfur (2), West Kordofan (1), and Gedaref state (1). Some fires were reportedly caused by increased temperatures and drier climate conditions, while others were due to household accidents.

Highlights 

• Fires displaced an estimated 1,900 individuals (approximately 380 households) between 29 April and 07 May 2024.
• Over 355 houses were partially damaged or destroyed by the fires. 
• The fires resulted in localized displacement: the majority of displaced households sought shelter with host communities within the same locations.