Sudan’s Islamist movement, once dominant under ousted President Omar al-Bashir, is positioning itself for a return to political relevance by aligning with the military during the country’s ongoing civil war, according to several of its senior members.
The group, rooted in the former ruling National Congress Party (NCP), has deployed fighters to support the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in their battle against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and is reportedly backing a prolonged period of military rule.
Ahmed Haroun, chairman of the NCP and one of four Sudanese officials wanted by the International Criminal Court, spoke to Reuters in his first media interview in years, suggesting that military dominance in politics would likely continue beyond the war. He hinted that future elections could provide a path for Islamists and the NCP to return to national leadership.
Sudan has been mired in over two years of brutal conflict between the SAF and RSF, leading to ethnic violence, widespread famine, and mass displacement. The United Nations has described the situation as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. While the RSF holds key territory in Darfur and southern Sudan, recent military gains—allegedly aided by Islamist operatives—have tipped momentum in favour of the SAF.
Although Sudanese military leaders and allies of former President Bashir have downplayed their connections to the Islamist movement, multiple sources—including seven Islamist figures and six military and government insiders—told Reuters that the Islamists are leveraging recent battlefield successes to re-enter national politics.
The NCP, which once ruled with an iron grip and hosted al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in the 1990s, has in recent years abandoned its hardline Islamist rhetoric in favour of consolidating political and economic power. A successful comeback by the movement could undermine the democratic transition initiated by the 2018–2019 uprising and complicate Sudan’s relations with countries like the United Arab Emirates, which oppose Islamist influence in the region.
The Islamist resurgence appears to be gaining influence within Sudan’s transitional government. Since June, several Islamists and their allies have reportedly secured cabinet positions under Prime Minister Kamil Idris, a technocrat appointed by the military in May.
Responding to Reuters, a spokesperson for the Sudanese army said, “Some Islamist leaders may want to use the war to return to power, but we say categorically that the army does not ally or coordinate with any political party and does not allow any party to interfere.”
