Trump administration prepares to remove Sudan from State Sponsors of Terrorism list

US President Donald Trump announced plans to take Sudan off the list of countries that sponsor terrorism as the African nation's new government agreed to pay millions to US terror victims on Monday, October 19.

Trump took to Twitter and said that the new Sudanese government is making ‘great progress’ and has agreed to pay $335 million to US terror victims and their families. Once the funds are deposited, the US President said he will delist Sudan as State Sponsor of Terrorism. 

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Sudan agrees to pay $335 million to victims 

Sudan has been on the list since 1993 when US authorities concluded that the country’s leader at the time, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, gave refuge and other help to Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups that the United States considers terrorists. The US had also concluded that Sudan was complicit in al-Qaeda attacks on US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and on the destroyer Cole in 2000. Sudan has been restricted from receiving global assistance that would help stabilise its new government and foment democracy. 

However, as a condition of coming off the terrorism list, Sudan has now agreed to pay $335 million to compensate victims of the attacks. According to reports, the money will be held in an escrow account until the US Congress agrees to give Sudan immunity for other terrorist attacks. The delisting would clear the way for Sudan to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel in an accord similar to those the Trump administration helped the Jewish state cement with the UAE and Bahrain. 

(Image Credits: AP) 

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