Washington, DC – The US State Department today announced decisive action regarding the Sudanese situation, designating the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood (SMB) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization (SDGT).
The department also revealed its intention to proceed with designating the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO),
a move reflecting Washington’s commitment to isolating forces that obstruct the peace process.
Reasons for the classification and motives for the decision
These measures are based on a long history of violations. The group-comprising the Sudanese Islamic Movement and its armed wing, the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade (BBMB)-uses excessive violence
against civilians to undermine international and local efforts to resolve the conflict. Through these practices,
the group aims to impose its extremist ideology by force, threatening Sudan’s unity and regional stability.
Reports indicate that the group has contributed more than 20,000 fighters to the ongoing conflict,
many of whom have received training and logistical support from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
BMB fighters have been implicated in summary and mass executions of civilians based on their ethnicity
or suspected affiliation with opposition forces, constituting a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law.
Legal and financial consequences
This action follows the U.S. Treasury Department’s September 2025 decision to impose sanctions on the group under Executive Order 14098.
Under today’s measures, all property and interests in property of the group that are located in the United States or controlled by U.S. persons are blocked.
U.S. persons and financial institutions are prohibited from engaging in business transactions with the designated entities. International parties that conduct transactions with the group risk secondary sanctions under counterterrorism laws.
ashington affirmed that these designations, made pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, aim to cut off terrorist financing and protect the global financial system from exploitation by extremist groups thatobstruct democratic transition in Sudan.
