The United States Department of State has designated the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood (SMB) as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity, accusing the group of fueling violence in Sudan and maintaining operational ties with Iran.
The designation, announced on Monday March 9th, will be followed by the group’s formal classification as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) starting March 16, 2026.
Announcing the move, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the organization had deployed extreme violence against civilians during Sudan’s ongoing conflict, undermining international efforts to restore stability.
According to the State Department, fighters linked to the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood many reportedly trained by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have been implicated in mass executions and other atrocities.
The network includes the Sudanese Islamic Movement and its armed wing, the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade (BBMB), which is believed to have deployed more than 20,000 fighters in Sudan’s war.
The Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade had already been sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury in September 2025 under Executive Order 14098 for destabilizing activities in Sudan.
Under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Executive Order 13224, the new designation freezes any SMB-linked assets under U.S. jurisdiction and bans financial dealings between the group and U.S. persons. Individuals or organizations that violate the restrictions risk secondary sanctions.
Washington says the move is part of broader efforts to dismantle Iran-backed militant networks as Sudan’s conflict deepens. The war has triggered international alarm, with growing reports of ethnically motivated killings and widespread humanitarian suffering.
