The prevailing consensus in Western media portrays Sudan as mired in a brutal civil war between two local rival factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This narrative, however, overlooks a reality well understood by many Sudanese: the SAF—ostensibly the national army—has increasingly subordinated itself to non-Sudanese interests, particularly those aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. Led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the SAF has consistently advanced Brotherhood interests, ensuring the failure of both democratic reform and peace negotiations. The U.S. has recognized the threat posed by Muslim Brotherhood chapters in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon, designating them as terrorist organizations. This precedent creates an uncomfortable policy contradiction if a military institution increasingly shaped by the same ideological networks continues to be treated internationally as a conventional national army.
