KAZAN, May 18. /TASS/. Moscow is ready to facilitate a peaceful settlement in Sudan, including by providing a platform for negotiations should the Sudanese side need it, a senior Russian diplomat said on Thursday.

"They must sort out their own problems, and we are ready to assist in this, since we have long-standing ties," Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on the sidelines of the international economic forum "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum" in Kazan, Tatarstan.

"And, by the way, not many states have left their diplomatic missions in Khartoum like we have. <...> This is an indicator that we do not pay lip service to this issue and show solidarity," the senior diplomat said.

He replied in the affirmative when asked whether Russia was ready to provide a venue for the negotiations. "If it is necessary, we always say: you are welcome, " he added.

Bogdanov also noted that the situation in Sudan has once again escalated after an attempted ceasefire, stressing that the situation in the country is difficult. "Agreements on a ceasefire are being violated," he added. "We empathize, and we are in touch with our ambassador in Khartoum," Bogdanov said.

Crisis in Sudan

The situation in Sudan escalated amid disagreements between the army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who also heads the ruling Sovereignty Council, and the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemedti), who is al-Burhan’s deputy on the council. The main points of contention between the two military organizations pertain to the timeline and methods for unifying the armed forces of Sudan, as well as who should be appointed as commander-in-chief of the army: a career military officer, which is al-Burhan’s preferred option, or an elected civilian president, as Dagalo insists.

On April 15, armed clashes between the rival military factions erupted near a military base in Merowe and in the capital, Khartoum. Several attempts have been made to call a ceasefire since the conflict broke out. According to the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, over 800 people have been killed in the clashes.