The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee has approved a resolution designating the Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan as a terrorist organization, marking a significant shift in Washington’s approach toward Islamist actors in the Middle East and Africa, as well as the roles the group is believed to play in regional conflicts, including the ongoing war in Sudan.
This approval comes as part of a broader bill aimed at addressing the activities of the global Muslim Brotherhood organization, requiring the U.S. administration to employ political, economic, and security pressure tools against its branches in the countries covered.
The bill grants the White House and the State Department direct authority to impose sanctions, including visa bans, revocation of previously issued visas, asset freezes, and prohibitions on any financial transactions with individuals or entities proven to have organizational or operational links to the group.
It also mandates the State Department to produce a detailed annual report monitoring the activities of Brotherhood branches within various countries, assessing whether they meet the legal criteria for designation as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
The mention of Sudan in the bill carries particular weight given the country’s highly complex situation. Since the fall of the Bashir regime, the presence of political Islamist movements—including groups accused of ties to the Muslim Brotherhood—has been a central point of political contention, with escalating disputes over their role in the ongoing war, whether through mobilization, financing, or organizational support.
