Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan Congratulates Taliban on Afghanistan Takeover

Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul. (AP)
Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul. (AP)
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Muslim Brotherhood in Sudan Congratulates Taliban on Afghanistan Takeover

Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul. (AP)
Taliban fighters patrol in Kabul. (AP)

Sudan’s Popular Congress Party congratulated the Taliban for their takeover of Afghanistan.

The Congress was founded by Hassan al-Turabi, the leader of Islamists in Sudan. The Congress, which is the Muslim Brotherhood’s wing in Sudan, became the first party in the country declare open support to the extremist Taliban.

Facebook soon removed the congratulatory post and suspended the party’s account in line with regulations that bar support to the Taliban on its platform.

Before it was removed, the post had congratulated the Taliban for taking over Kabul, saying it was a “victory” for the people of Afghanistan as they seek “freedom” from and defeat against occupying powers.

The victory was achieved after a long conflict that demonstrated to the world that the people of Afghanistan will not be defeated by material or human might no matter how powerful it may be, continued the post.

It described the Taliban takeover as a “historic victory”, declaring the Congress’ support to the Taliban’s vision of how to rule Afghanistan.

Turabi established the Congress in 1999 after a split with the ruling National Congress Party of ousted President Omar al-Bashir. Bashir and Turabi's parties would lead a rivalry for years to come until the president’s ouster in 2019.



Syria Swears in New Transitional Government

29 March 2025, Syria, Damascus: Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during the ceremony announcing the new Syrian government at the People's Palace. Photo: Moawia Atrash/dpa
29 March 2025, Syria, Damascus: Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during the ceremony announcing the new Syrian government at the People's Palace. Photo: Moawia Atrash/dpa
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Syria Swears in New Transitional Government

29 March 2025, Syria, Damascus: Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during the ceremony announcing the new Syrian government at the People's Palace. Photo: Moawia Atrash/dpa
29 March 2025, Syria, Damascus: Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks during the ceremony announcing the new Syrian government at the People's Palace. Photo: Moawia Atrash/dpa

Syria’s new transitional government was sworn in Saturday nearly four months after the Assad family was removed from power and as the new authorities in Damascus work to bring back stability to the war-torn country.

The 23-member Cabinet, which is religiously and ethnically mixed, is the first in the country’s five-year transitional period and replaces the interim government that was formed shortly after Bashar Assad was removed from power in early December, The Associated Press reported.

The Cabinet does not have a prime minister since according to the temporary constitution signed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa earlier this month, the government will have a secretary general.

The government that was announced ahead of Eid el-Fitr, the feast that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan that starts in Syria on Monday, includes new faces apart from the ministers of foreign affairs and defense. They kept the posts they held in the interim government. Syria's new Interior Minister Anas Khattab was until recently the head of the intelligence department.

“The formation of a new government today is a declaration of our joint will to build a new state,” al-Sharaa said in a speech marking the formation of the government.

Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra said his main goal will be to build a professional army “from the people and for the people.”

The government did not include members of the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces or the autonomous civil administration in northeast Syria. Al-Sharaa and SDF commander Mazloum Abdi signed a breakthrough deal earlier this month in Damascus on a nationwide ceasefire and the merging of the US-backed force into the Syrian army.

Among the new ministers whose names were announced late Saturday night were Hind Kabawat, a Christian activist who was opposed to Assad since the conflict began in March 2011. Kabawat was named minister of minister of social affairs and labor.

Another minister is Raed Saleh, who for years headed the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as White Helmets, and was named minister for emergency disasters. A Damascus-based Syrian Kurd, Mohammed Terko was named minister of education.

Mohammed al-Bashir, who has headed Syria’s interim government since Assad’s fall, was named minister of energy whose main mission will be to restore the electricity and oil sectors that were badly damaged during the conflict.