ALBAWABA - New statements from well-known Islamist leaders have brought back up the debate about the Muslim Brotherhood's role in the ongoing conflict in Sudan. These statements go against repeated denials from Army Chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and show how deeply involved the movement is in the military.
Burhan keeps saying that the army has nothing to do with the Brotherhood, but Ahmed Abbas, who used to be the governor of Sennar under Omar al-Bashir, publicly said that the Islamic Movement is still very much involved in the fighting.
Abbas said in a video that was shared online that "the Islamic Movement is currently directing the war," and he added that "75% of the fighters on the ground belong to the movement." He also made it clear that Islamist groups are present "across Sudan, at all levels."
His comments come after a commander in the Brotherhood-affiliated al-Baraa Ibn Malik Battalion admitted that the Sudanese army trained, armed, and brainwashed their troops. Commander Oweis Ghanem said that the battalion has fought with the army since 2011. During the current war, it grew into a brigade and then a full corps, playing a key role in battles in Talodi, Kadugli, and the Blue Nile region.
A Group of Islamist Militias
The al-Baraa Ibn Malik Corps is one of the Islamic Movement's strongest fighting groups. It is led by famous commanders like al-Misbah Talha, Oweis Ghanem, and Muhannad Fadl, and is overseen by senior Islamists Ali Karti and Ahmed Haroun. Reports say that the force gets advanced military training in Sudan and other countries, including Iran.
In addition to this corps, several Islamist-aligned groups are still active. These include the Special Operations Battalion, al-Bunyan al-Marsous, al-Barq al-Khatif, and the Elite Brigade. These groups work closely with military intelligence and Islamist leaders, which shows that the Brotherhood is still a strong and organized force in Sudan's war structure.
What this means for the peace process
Analysts say that the new information shows that there are deeper problems with authority in the Sudanese military and makes it hard to believe that important decision-makers are independent. They say that the Brotherhood's power is one of the main things that is keeping the war going.
Kholoud Khair, a political analyst, says that the movement is strongly against any move toward a ceasefire because they think that a long conflict weakens the pro-democracy groups that took Bashir out of power in 2019.
She said, "The longer the war goes on, the harder it is for democratic forces to stay alive in a militarized environment."
Experts say that Burhan's reliance on Islamist fighters makes it harder for the international community to reach a political settlement, even though it gives him more power over about two-thirds of the country.
