US praises Sudan but leaves it on states sponsoring terror list

Sudan is a “cooperative partner” with the American agencies in the fight against terrorism but remains a designated state sponsor of terror, the US State Department said yesterday.

In its annual assessment of states sponsoring terrorism submitted to the US congress, Washington again named Sudan alongside Syria and Iran as rouge states. However, in its statement, Sudan was praised for its effort to counter terrorism.

Notwithstanding this history, countering terrorism is today a national security priority for Sudan, and Sudan is a cooperative partner of the United States on counter-terrorism, despite its continued presence on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List

the State Department wrote.

The statement pointed to Sudan’s assistance in the fight against Daesh, which is also referred to as the Islamic State. “Sudan takes seriously the threat posed by Islamic State, and in September 2016, the US government acknowledged the Government of Sudan’s significant efforts to counter the Islamic State and other terrorist groups and to prevent their movement into and through Sudan,” the report added.

The designation means that Sudan continues to be subject to a range of sanctions that include a ban on arms related exports and sales: controls over exports of dual-use items, prohibitions on economic assistance and imposition of financial and other restrictions.

Read: US postpones decision on Sudan sanctions for three months

Sudan was labelled as a state sponsor of terrorism on 12 August 1993 and was accused of supporting armed Palestinian resistance groups including Abu Nidal Organisation, Islamic Jihad and Hamas.

Syria was designated as state sponsor of terrorism in 1979 and Iran in 1984.