Khartoum: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has announced the return of about 4.1 million people to their original areas across Sudan, describing the figure as a 'glimmer of hope' amid one of the world's largest displacement crises.

According to Oman News Agency, Mohammed Refaat, Chief of the IOM mission in Sudan, said the increase in returnees from inside and outside the country is a positive sign reflecting the Sudanese people's desire for stability despite ongoing humanitarian challenges.

More than 80 percent of returnees came back from internal displacement sites to nine key states - mainly Khartoum, Al Jazirah, and Sennar - reducing the number of internally displaced people by 23 percent compared with the peak of the crisis last January, when nearly 12 million people were displaced.

Returnees face harsh living conditions because of a lack of basic services and damaged infrastructure, Refaat said. An estimated 70 percent of homes in Khartoum have been partially or completely destroyed, along with severe shortages of electricity, water, health, and education services.