Washington (TDI): The United States said it will designate the Sudanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization, expanding further a campaign by Trump’s administration to target and designate Islamist groups.
The State Department announced on Monday that the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood will also be listed as a “specially designated global terrorist,” a label that triggers financial sanctions and other restrictions. The designation as a foreign terrorist organization is expected to take effect on March 16.
Under US law, the foreign terrorist organization label allows authorities to block assets linked to the group, prohibit Americans from providing material support, and restrict entry into the United States for individuals associated with it.
The move forms part of a wider US strategy targeting branches of the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East and North Africa.
Earlier this year, Washington designated the Egyptian, Lebanese and Jordanian branches of the organization as global terrorist entities, citing alleged links to militant groups including Hamas.
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The State Department did not release detailed evidence publicly but said the designation reflects Washington’s assessment that the Sudanese group poses a threat to national security and international stability.
The Muslim Brotherhood, founded in Egypt in 1928, is one of the Arab world’s most influential Islamist movements, with branches or affiliated groups across several countries.
While the organization says it renounced violence decades ago and operates as a political and social movement in many places, some governments in the region classify it as a terrorist group.
Washington’s decision also comes as Sudan continues to grapple with prolonged political turmoil and conflict between rival military factions, a crisis that has drawn increasing international attention.
The State Department said the designation would become effective following publication in the US Federal Register, after which sanctions and related restrictions will formally take effect. The Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood did not immediately respond to the announcement.
