Sudan’s Muslim Brotherhood-linked Islamic Movement has remained silent after the US designated it a “foreign terrorist organization,” a decision that took effect on March 16.
Nearly two weeks later, the group’s leadership, at home and abroad, has issued no statement clarifying its position or the potential fallout.
The designation also covers the armed Al-Baraa bin Malik Brigade, raising questions in political and Islamist circles over the movement’s future and its options to contain the impact, politically or militarily, as well as how it will deal with the international community.
‘Political’ move
Former ambassador and Islamic Movement member Haj Majid Suwar dismissed the US move as “political,” saying it lacks objective grounds and aims to push the movement out of politics while weakening the Sudanese army by targeting a force aligned with it.
He said the Islamic Movement, though initially influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood, later carved out a Sudan-specific path and cut ties early with the international organization. He described it as moderate, with no record of terrorist activity or extremist links.
That contrasts with rights reports that have accused the movement, during its time in power, of abuses including detention and torture in so-called “ghost houses,” as well as other violations documented by human rights groups.
Suwar, who held senior posts under ousted president Omar al-Bashir, denied any organizational link between the movement and the Al-Baraa bin Malik Brigade, calling such claims attempts to sow confusion. He said the brigade is part of the Popular Defense Forces and reserve units formed in 1987, and that its role in the current war falls under general mobilization, not ideological or political affiliation.
Silence from leadership
Secretary-General Ali Ahmed Karti, a former foreign minister, has not commented. The brigade has also stayed silent despite attempts to reach its leadership.
The US decision says Misbah Abu Zaid Talha leads more than 20,000 fighters in the brigade, whose members are believed to have received training and support from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards.
The group has fought alongside the Sudanese army since the war erupted in April 2023 against the Rapid Support Forces.
Mohammed Badr al-Din, deputy head of the Popular Congress Party, said the designation was too broad and should have identified those directly driving the war and rejecting a political settlement.
He said authorities now face two hard choices: dissolve and ban the entities, risking internal confrontation, or try to sidestep the decision by changing names and fronts.
He warned that rebranding is unlikely to convince the international community, which is increasingly alert to such tactics, and could deepen Sudan’s isolation and economic pressure.
Analysts say a name change is one possible route. Islamist thinker Hassan Makki called it meaningless, describing the US move as largely symbolic with limited effect.
Suwar said a name change has long been discussed and did not rule it out, adding that dissolving the movement remains an option under its internal rules if leadership sees it as beneficial.
Jaafar Hassan, spokesperson for the “Somoud” (“Steadfastness”) Democratic Civil Alliance, said the designation marks the end of the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence in Sudan and the region.
He said it strips the group of legal cover, restricts its finances and members’ movement, and effectively removes it from politics while holding it responsible for the country’s worsening crisis and war.
Siddiq Farouk of the Sudanese Communist Party said successive US administrations had long dealt with the former regime before resorting to this step, suggesting the move could reshape political and economic influence and push the group toward deals with international actors to secure its survival.
With its leadership silent and scenarios diverging, the Islamic Movement faces a defining moment. Its next move, confrontation or adaptation, will be shaped by internal divisions and growing external pressure in a volatile landscape.
