Washington, September 13 (Darfur24)
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Sudan’s Finance Minister and leader of the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), Gibril Ibrahim, along with the Al-Baraa bin Malik Brigade, citing their involvement in Sudan’s war and links to Iran.
In a statement released on Friday and seen by Darfur24, the Treasury said the sanctions are aimed at curbing Islamist influence in Sudan and countering Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region, which have fueled conflict and worsened civilian suffering.
“Sudanese Islamist elements have long been a destructive force, particularly during the regime of former President Omar al-Bashir,” the statement said. It added that Islamists have played a central role in obstructing Sudan’s democratic transition, undermining the civilian-led transitional government and the political framework agreement.
The Treasury said such obstruction contributed to the outbreak of the current war, which has killed 150,000 people, displaced 14 million, and triggered the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crisis.
According to the statement, Islamist actors continue to block ceasefire efforts while strengthening ties with Iran, including technical and military support from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Treasury accused Gibril Ibrahim of mobilizing thousands of JEM fighters against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), contributing to mass civilian displacement and destruction in Sudanese cities. It also noted that he traveled to Tehran in November to expand political and economic cooperation with Iran.
The Al-Baraa bin Malik Brigade, the statement said, traces its roots to the Popular Defense Forces, an Islamist paramilitary force tied to Bashir’s regime. It reportedly contributed more than 20,000 fighters to the war, using IRGC-provided training and weapons. The group has been implicated in arbitrary arrests, torture, and executions of suspected RSF allies.
“These Islamist militias represent a major obstacle to ending Sudan’s civil war and undermine efforts to achieve peace,” the Treasury said.
John K. Hurley, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, warned that Sudanese Islamist groups’ alliances with Iran threaten both regional and global security.
“The Treasury Department is using our powerful sanctions tools to disrupt this activity and protect U.S. national security,” Hurley said.