The United States government on Tuesday formally designated branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan as terrorist organisations, fulfilling long-standing demands by key Arab allies and conservative voices in the US.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move marked the beginning of a sustained campaign against the group’s activities.
“These designations reflect the opening actions of an ongoing, sustained effort to thwart Muslim Brotherhood chapters’ violence and destabilisation wherever it occurs,” Rubio said.
He added, “The United States will use all available tools to deprive these Muslim Brotherhood chapters of the resources to engage in or support terrorism.”
The decision follows steps initiated by President Donald Trump in November, when he directed his administration to begin the process of taking action against the pan-Islamist movement, founded in Egypt in 1928 and now active across several parts of the Arab world.
According to US officials, the Egyptian and Jordanian branches were designated based on allegations of support for Hamas, the Palestinian armed group long classified by Washington as a terrorist organisation.
The Muslim Brotherhood briefly rose to power in Egypt through democratic elections that brought Mohamed Morsi to office. However, Morsi was removed in 2013 following a military coup led by then army chief Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who has since overseen an extensive crackdown on the organisation.
Egypt, alongside US allies Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, has for years pushed for the suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood, accusing it of undermining regional stability and supporting extremist movements.
