President Donald Trump announced Monday that he intends to lift Sudan’s state sponsor of terrorism designation.
What We Know:
- Trump stated on Twitter that once the $335 million that Sudan has accepted to pay as part of a settlement for victims of twin bombings toward the U.S. Embassies in Tanzania and Kenya in 1998, he will lift the designation.
- President Donald Trump posted in a tweet:
“GREAT news! New government of Sudan, which is making great progress, agreed to pay $335 MILLION to U.S. terror victims and families. Once deposited, I will lift Sudan from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. At long last, JUSTICE for the American people and BIG step for Sudan!”
- Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok responded by saying the funds had been transferred, but there was no immediate U.S. confirmation.
- Trump’s statement comes months after the U.S. and Sudan reached a bilateral settlement agreement. The tweet was welcome news for Sudanese officials and some of the American survivors and families of the victims of those bombings, who have prompted Congress to pass legislation so that it can be disbursed.
- Sudan was placed on the list back in 1993 when al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden remained there as a guest of the government. The settlement relates to al-Qaeda’s 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in Africa.
- The U.S. president has the power to lift a nation from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list. Congress then has 45 days to object.
- It is mentioned that around 200 people were killed, and thousands were hurt in 1998 when twin al Qaeda bombings rocked the U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Under al-Bashir’s leadership, Sudan sheltered Osama bin Laden and was found to have helped the al Qaeda operatives.
However, others remain reluctant to the settlement, which pays lesser amounts to foreign nationals who worked at the embassy and employees who became U.S. citizens after the attack.
