Sudanese migration towards Europe through irregular routes has risen sharply, with Libya emerging as the main departure point for people fleeing the war, according to a new report by the UN refugee agency.
The UNHCR report, titled Sudanese Movements to Europe: Profiles, Routes and Challenges Along the Way, documented widespread abuses suffered by Sudanese migrants during their journeys, including detention, torture, labour exploitation and human trafficking, particularly along routes through Libya and across the Mediterranean.
Among 35 Sudanese participants interviewed in Greece, including one unaccompanied child, respondents said they had been detained in Libya for periods ranging from two weeks to six months. Sudanese interviewed in Italy and Spain reported similar experiences.
The report said the war that erupted in Sudan in April 2023 has significantly altered migration patterns towards Europe, with the Libya-Greece route becoming increasingly prominent.
International Organization for Migration data cited in the report showed that between January and November 2025, around 65 percent of Sudanese arriving in Europe by sea or land reached Greece, compared with 31 percent who arrived in Italy and 4 percent in Spain.
Migrants also reported physical violence, unpaid labour, detention and theft during their journeys.
European countries recorded 7,161 Sudanese arrivals in 2023. The figure fell to 4,094 in 2024 before surging to around 14,154 in 2025, according to data included in the UNHCR report.
Sudanese nationals accounted for around 2 to 3 percent of irregular arrivals to Europe between 2021 and 2024. Their share rose to 9 percent in 2025 and reached 12 percent during the first quarter of 2026.
Greece became the main European arrival point for Sudanese migrants in 2025, receiving 9,110 people — nearly six times the number recorded a year earlier.
The trend continued into the first quarter of 2026 as the migration route from Libya towards the Greek island of Crete expanded.
Libya was the departure point for about 84 percent of Sudanese who reached Europe in 2025, according to the report.
Adult men made up the overwhelming majority of Sudanese arrivals in Europe between 2021 and 2025, accounting for between 81 and 88 percent. Unaccompanied or separated children represented between 6 and 15 percent.
That pattern differs sharply from Sudanese refugee populations in neighbouring countries, where women and children account for between 71 and 86 percent of refugees and asylum seekers, with Libya being the main exception.
The UNHCR report was based on arrival data and interviews with 173 Sudanese in southeastern Europe between January 2025 and July 2026, as well as focus-group discussions with Sudanese migrants in Greece, Italy and Spain.
The findings highlight the growing humanitarian impact of Sudan’s war, which has displaced millions and pushed increasing numbers of people towards dangerous migration routes through North Africa and the Mediterranean in search of safety.
