U.S. sanctions 2 Sudanese Islamist leaders over Iran ties » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 13 – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on Sudanese Finance Minister Gebreil Ibrahim Mohamed Fediel and the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Brigade (BBMB), citing their involvement in Sudan’s civil war and their links to Iran.

The sanctions, announced Friday, were issued under Executive Order (E.O.) 14098, “Imposing Sanctions on Certain Persons Destabilizing Sudan and Undermining the Goal of a Democratic Transition.”

Washington said the move is aimed at curbing Islamist influence in Sudan and limiting Iran’s destabilizing regional activities.

“Sudanese Islamist groups have formed dangerous alliances with the Iranian regime. We will not stand by idly and allow them to threaten regional and global security,” said John K. Hurley, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

“The Treasury Department is using our powerful sanctions tools to disrupt this activity and protect U.S. national security.”

Gebreil, who also leads the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), a Darfuri armed group historically linked to Islamist ideologue Hassan al-Turabi, has been accused of deploying thousands of fighters against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

 These operations, according to the Treasury, have resulted in the destruction of towns and widespread civilian casualties.

The U.S. further noted that Gebreil traveled to Tehran in November 2024 to pursue closer political and economic ties with Iran.

BBMB, meanwhile, was identified as an Islamist militia rooted in Sudan’s former Popular Defense Forces, a paramilitary force loyal to ex-president Omar al-Bashir.

OFAC said BBMB has contributed more than 20,000 fighters against the RSF, using training and weaponry supplied by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The group has also been implicated in arbitrary arrests, torture, and summary executions of suspected RSF supporters.

Sudanese Islamist elements, Washington said, have long undermined peace and democratic progress in the country.

Their role in derailing the civilian-led transitional government and sabotaging the Framework Political Agreement process helped trigger the outbreak of full-scale conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF in April 2023.

The war has since claimed an estimated 150,000 lives and displaced more than 14 million people, creating what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Under the sanctions, all property and assets belonging to Gebreil and BBMB within the United States, or in the possession or control of U.S. persons, are frozen and must be reported to OFAC.

 Any entities owned 50 percent or more by sanctioned people are also blocked.

OFAC regulations generally prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in transactions involving sanctioned individuals or entities unless specifically authorized. Violations of U.S. sanctions can result in civil or criminal penalties for both American and foreign actors.

“The United States remains committed to working with regional partners to achieve peace and stability in Sudan, and to ensuring the country does not become a safe haven for those who threaten U.S. national interests,” the Treasury said.