The U.S. State Department on Monday designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization, citing its role in widespread violence against civilians during Sudan’s ongoing war.
In a statement, the department said the group — which includes the Sudanese Islamic Movement and its armed wing, the Al Baraa ibn Malik Brigade — has used “unrestrained violence against civilians” to destabilize the country and promote a violent Islamist agenda.
The statement said the organization contributed more than 20,000 fighters to the conflict, many of whom received training and support from Iran.
“Fighters have conducted mass executions of civilians in areas they captured and repeatedly carried out summary executions based on race, ethnicity, or perceived affiliation with opposition groups,” it said.
The U.S., European Union and United Kingdom have already imposed sanctions on senior Sudanese military and paramilitary officials accused of war crimes and atrocities.
Sudan’s war began in April 2023, when tensions between Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Rapid Support Forces commander Gen. Hamdan Dagalo over control of the military and paramilitary forces erupted into fighting. The conflict initially engulfed the capital, Khartoum, before spreading across much of the country. The U.S. imposed sanctions on al-Burhan in January 2025.
Nearly three years of fighting have killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 12 million people. The United Nations estimates nearly half of Sudan’s population — about 25 million people — faces hunger, making it one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises.
Last May, the U.S. determined that Sudanese government forces had used chemical weapons in 2024.