The role of the Muslim Brotherhood in the ongoing conflict between the armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force in Sudan is a cause of concern for experts.

According to Arab News, experts say that this group can influence the country’s military leaders and determine the political direction of Sudan.

It should be noted that the Muslim Brotherhood, as an international Islamic organization with deep roots in Sudan’s politics, played an important role in the establishment of the former Islamist government of Omar Bashir in 1989.

Even after the overthrow of the Sudanese government in 2019, the Brotherhood continued to persevere. Now, amid fighting between the Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, some fear the group may attempt a comeback.

Over the decades, the Brotherhood has been able to generate support among various segments of Sudanese society through its advocacy of political Islam and social justice.

During their rule, the Islamists imposed Sharia law, a move that was rejected by a large part of the population who believed in Christianity and other local faiths, sparking a dangerous civil war.

The fall of the Islamic regime later in 2019 was a turning point, but concerns remain about its lasting influence on Sudan’s military leadership.

The Brotherhood’s influence continued through various units affiliated with the former regime, which have been accused of targeting women in response to their growing role in public life.

Differing visions of Islam’s role in Sudan’s democratic future have fractured within the country’s major political parties, giving the Brotherhood new potential constituencies to exploit.

Following the 2021 agreement between the head of the armed forces and Sudan’s current de facto ruler, Abdul Fattah al-Barhan, and the head of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, Abdul Aziz Al-Hilhu, a sect emerged within the state, the National Ummah Party, to separate religion and the state.

The party leadership suggested postponing the debate until the end of the transitional period when Sudan’s military rulers were expected to be replaced by a civilian-led government, but at the same time Religious Affairs Minister Nasruddin Mufarih, himself a member of the National Ummah Party, , initiated legislation to ban political parties on religious grounds.

Meanwhile, National Umma Party Secretary General Al-Wathiq Al-Barir denied that his party was founded on religious grounds.

Over the years many Islamists have changed their approach and decided to focus on supporting ‘sectarian’ parties against the political left.

This new approach reflects their weakened position and their failure to achieve their former goals.