Sudanese Families Flee to Chad as Violence Surges and Refugee Support Falls Behind

Sudan remains the world’s largest displacement crisis, with about 11.3 million people forcibly displaced since the conflict began, including 6.4 million inside the country.

More than 55,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into eastern Chad this year, escaping fighting and growing insecurity that have left families searching for somewhere safe to rebuild their lives. Almost one million refugees have entered Chad since Sudan's conflict began in April 2023, placing enormous pressure on communities offering shelter across the border. Arrivals have accelerated sharply over the past week, with more than 400 people a day reaching the border areas of Adré and Tiné, around 20 times the daily rate recorded over the previous few months.

Families escape violence and face another struggle for survival

Conditions remain particularly severe in Darfur, where violence continues to drive people from their homes. UNHCR is increasingly concerned about Kordofan and Blue Nile States, where fighting, airstrikes and drone attacks are forcing residents to flee and making it harder for humanitarian workers to reach people in need. Drought, below-average rainfall and water shortages are damaging livelihoods, adding another source of pressure on families already living with insecurity. The approaching rainy season brings the risk of flooding in parts of Darfur, potentially damaging infrastructure, interrupting services and forcing more people to move.

The transit centre in Tiné is already hosting more than 4,300 people, putting shelter, water, sanitation and protection services under significant strain. Women and girls arriving from Sudan have reported kidnapping and rape during their journeys, describing grave abuses suffered on the road to safety. For those reaching Chad, crossing the border does not bring an immediate end to hardship: more than 190,000 refugees remain in difficult conditions in border areas, waiting to move to planned settlements further inland. Around 31,000 families lack adequate shelter, and most refugees receive less than half the minimum amount of water they need each day.

Refugees bring skills to communities stretched by displacement

Sudan remains the world's largest displacement crisis, with about 11.3 million people forcibly displaced since the conflict began, including 6.4 million inside the country. More than 3.5 million Sudanese refugees and asylum-seekers have fled across the region, putting additional pressure on neighbouring countries whose services and resources are already overstretched. Chad and other host countries continue to offer refuge, but humanitarian assistance is falling short of the scale of need, leaving families dependent on support that cannot cover even necessities.

Chad has taken steps to include refugees in national systems and give them opportunities to support themselves, drawing on the experience of qualified Sudanese professionals. More than 400 refugee health workers have had their qualifications recognised, with some already helping deliver health services in eastern Chad. Refugee teachers are authorised to work, and at least 2,900 are teaching in schools in the east. These measures give displaced people opportunities to earn a living and contribute their skills to communities facing growing demand for healthcare and education.

Funding shortages leave families facing dangerous choices

UNHCR's analysis of Sudanese movements towards Europe describes onward journeys as frequently emerging from repeated attempts to find safety, legal status and a workable future in countries of asylum, rather than a decision made on leaving Sudan. Unmet protection and basic needs are among the factors driving those journeys. Sudanese sea arrivals in Europe reached 14,104 in 2025, up 245 per cent from 4,094 in 2024, despite a decline in overall Mediterranean arrivals among all nationalities.

Only 20 per cent of the $1.6 billion needed for the regional refugee response plan has been received. UNHCR is calling for renewed international support for people inside Sudan and neighbouring countries hosting millions of refugees. Without greater humanitarian and development funding, displaced families face worsening conditions and painful choices, including returning to Sudan before it is safe or risking dangerous onward journeys in search of stability.