In a blow to Hamas and other terror groups, Sudan revoked the citizenship of Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, Arab media outlets reported on Wednesday.

Sudan revoked Mashaal’s citizenship along with about 3,000 other foreign nationals as part of the African country’s commitment to fight terrorism following its removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, a move tied to the Israel-Sudan normalization deal.

Sudan has served in the past as a haven for wanted terrorists, including Al Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden. Hamas used Sudan as a conduit for smuggling Iranian weapons to Gaza from 2009-2012.

Sudan has committed to changing its ways under its new transitional government. The government is also now requiring Syrians to obtain a visa before entering the country to prevent terrorists from entering.

Mashaal, who served as the chairman of Hamas’ politburo from 1992 to 2017, had expressed his opposition to Sudan’s normalization of ties with Israel.

In 1997, Israel’s Mossad, under the direction of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, then in his first term, attempted to assassinate Mashaal in the wake of a number of suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The attempt, carried out in Amman, was unsuccessful and led to a diplomatic crisis between Jordan and Israel.

Mashaal, 64, lives in exile in various Arab states out of fear of another Israel attempt to eliminate him.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)