The United States has designated the Sudanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, imposing sanctions on the Islamist movement and accusing it of fueling violence and instability in Sudan.
The designation, announced by the U.S. State Department, places the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood — also known as the Sudanese Islamic Movement — on the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT), according to U.S. officials.
The move freezes any assets under U.S. jurisdiction and criminalizes financial or material support to the group.
Washington said the designation reflects concerns over the group’s role in Sudan’s conflict and its alleged involvement in organizing and supporting armed factions.
Sudan has been engulfed in war since April 2023 between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a Sudanese force led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.
U.S. officials said Islamist networks linked to the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood have mobilized fighters and militias during the conflict and have worked to undermine political efforts to resolve the war.
The Islamist movement was a central pillar of Sudan’s political system during the three-decade rule of former president Omar al-Bashir, who came to power in a 1989 coup backed by Islamist allies.
Although Bashir was removed in 2019 following mass protests, Islamist figures associated with the movement have remained influential within parts of the political and security establishment.
The U.S. designation could further complicate Sudan’s conflict by increasing financial and diplomatic pressure on actors linked to the Islamist network and restricting their access to international financial systems.
Sudanese political groups opposed to the movement welcomed the decision, describing it as long-overdue accountability for what they say are decades of violence and repression linked to Islamist factions.
The United States has in recent years increased scrutiny of Muslim Brotherhood-linked organizations across the Middle East, citing concerns about militant activities and regional destabilization.
Sudan’s war has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, displacing millions of people and leaving large parts of the country devastated by fighting.