URGENT UPDATE: The power struggle in Sudan escalates as the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) increasingly align with the Muslim Brotherhood, raising alarms over the nation’s future amid a brutal civil war. Recent reports confirm that the SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has subordinated itself to non-Sudanese interests, significantly complicating U.S. policy and potentially undermining democratic efforts in the region.
The SAF’s transformation into a military entity heavily influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood presents an urgent challenge for international stakeholders. While the U.S. has identified the Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in countries like Egypt and Lebanon, Sudan’s military institution—now intertwined with Islamist networks—continues to receive international recognition as a conventional army.
The rise of the Muslim Brotherhood within the SAF can be traced back to the 1989 coup that brought former President Omar al-Bashir to power. This regime embedded Brotherhood ideologies in state institutions, exacerbating ethnic tensions and leading to widespread violence against marginalized communities, including the Fur, Nuba, and Zaghawa.
In a troubling turn of events, reports from late 2025 revealed egregious violations of humanitarian law, with the SAF implicated in atrocities against non-Arab ethnicities. Disturbing accounts describe incidents of bodies being dumped and starvation tactics being used as weapons, further emphasizing the dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
The U.S. Treasury has responded by sanctioning key figures within the SAF, including Ali Karti, a former foreign minister and head of the El Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, which has maintained ties with Iran and obstructed peace efforts. Other Islamist leaders, like Ahmed Haroun and Osama Abdallah, continue to exert control over military operations, complicating the landscape of peace negotiations.
As the SAF deepens its ties with these Islamist networks, the international community faces an urgent dilemma: how to engage with a military that is increasingly obstructing democratic reform. In response, the Civil Democratic Alliance for Revolutionary Forces (Somoud) has called for international support for a civilian transition, condemning the SAF and its Islamist allies for perpetuating the conflict.
The Sudan Founding Alliance (Tasis), another emerging political force, advocates for a secular and democratic Sudan, stressing the need for an inclusive political framework. For these movements to gain traction, however, international partners must reconsider their engagement strategies with the SAF and the embedded Islamist factions.
The stakes are high, as figures like Burhan, Karti, Haroun, and Abdallah remain central to the ongoing conflict, raising critical questions about the future of Sudan’s democratic aspirations. As violence continues to escalate, the urgency to resolve this policy contradiction grows, making it essential for the international community to act decisively to support a transition to peace and democracy.
The situation in Sudan is rapidly evolving, and the impact of the SAF’s alignment with the Muslim Brotherhood could reshape not only the country’s future but also the broader regional dynamics. As the world watches, the urgent need for effective intervention and support for democratic forces becomes paramount.
