The U.S. State Department announced that it will designate the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood (SMB) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization effective March 16, 2026. The designation follows findings that the SMB has contributed more than 20,000 fighters to Sudan’s ongoing civil war, many of whom have reportedly received training and support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
U.S. Cites Iranian Support in Sudan Conflict
The State Department statement highlighted Iran’s role as a leading state sponsor of terrorism, emphasizing that the Iranian regime has financed and directed malign activities globally through the IRGC. It noted that the SMB’s fighters have conducted mass executions of civilians based on race, ethnicity, or perceived opposition affiliations. The designation aims to cut off resources facilitating terrorism and violent Islamist activities tied to the group.
Broader Regional Designations and Impact
This move extends the Trump administration’s earlier designations in November 2025 when the Muslim Brotherhood was sanctioned in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon. The Sudanese Brotherhood comprises the Sudanese Islamic Movement and its armed wing, the al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade (BBMB), which has been accused of widespread violence in the conflict.
Experts like Edmund Fitton-Brown, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted the SMB’s significant integration within Sudan’s Armed Forces and connections to historic extremist networks. The designation places additional political pressure on the Sudanese government by formally linking it to a terrorist entity amid the nearly three-year civil war that has displaced over 11 million people and resulted in an estimated 400,000 deaths, according to conflict trackers.
U.S. Legislative Response and Future Steps
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) endorsed the designation as crucial to countering Islamist influence in the region. He called for consideration of similar terrorist designations for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, accused of genocide and terror campaigns. Analysts expect additional designations targeting affiliated groups in the region, such as al-Islah in Yemen, signaling a broader U.S. strategy to disrupt Islamist militant networks linked to Iran’s influence.
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