June 10, 2026 (WASHINGTON) – A coalition of U.S. senators from both major political parties has proposed fresh legislation seeking to bring an end to the fighting in Sudan, with a provision requiring the Biden government to assess if the conflicting groups meet the criteria for being designated as international terror entities.
A bill named the "Preventing External Aggression and Conflict Escalation in Sudan Act of 2026," also known as the "PEACE in Sudan Act," mandates the Secretary of State, along with input from the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General, to carry out a legal review of Sudanese military groups. They have to "assess if any armed group in Sudan fulfills the requirements for being classified as a specially designated global terrorist" according to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The government is required to present a confidential report detailing its conclusions and specify its intended measures to the Congressional Committee on Foreign Relations and the Judiciary within 90 days following the law's implementation. . Although the proposed text does not directly identify any particular group for instant classification, it places all combatant groups under review.
The political initiative follows previous efforts led by Republican Senator Jim Risch, the top-ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who proposed the legislation. Risch has consistently urged the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to be classified as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT), describing their activities in Darfur as genocidal. He revived these calls at the beginning of 2026 after the United States labeled the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist.
The SDGT label enables the U.S. government to seize all assets and interests within U.S. control and prevent financial activities. The FTO designation adds further legal consequences, classifying the provision of "material support" — like money, instruction, or supply chains — as illegal under American legislation, along with subjecting overseas organizations interacting with the group to indirect punishments.
The Department of State would also have to submit periodic updates regarding human rights abuses that occurred after the conflict began on April 15, 2023. These evaluations should record the involvement of underage fighters, the employment of hunger and sexual assault as tools of conflict, assaults on medical centers, and violence driven by ethnic motives.
The executive branch has 180 days to present a plan aimed at achieving a lasting ceasefire and a political resolution. This necessitates strong collaboration with global diplomatic organizations, particularly the Quad made up of the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Quintet consisting of the African Union, IGAD, the Arab League, the European Union, and the United Nations.
The legislation grants the president authority to enact property seizures and travel restrictions against any foreign individual who hinders peace initiatives, destabilizes the shift toward civil rule, or provides arms to those involved in hostilities. .
The legislative measures involve extending the term of the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan by five years. It also halts non-humanitarian assistance and directs U.S. representatives at global financial organizations to reject debt forgiveness or rebuilding loans for the Sudanese administration until a confirmed peace accord is established and abuses stop.
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