MOSCOW, June 29. /TASS/. Russia is watching the situation in Sudan with concern and is interested in helping normalize it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a meeting with Sudan’s Sovereignty Council Deputy Chairman Malik Agar on Thursday.
"Russia is watching with concern what is happening in Sudan and is interested in helping to create the conditions for normalizing the situation. Through our embassy, which remains in Khartoum, we are in contact with all the parties concerned. It is of special importance for us today to hear your assessments of the situation," the minister said.
The Russian minister said Agar's arrival in Moscow was "very timely."
"We would appreciate recommendations on how Russia and other members of the international community could contribute to overcoming the crisis. We will take this opportunity to review our bilateral cooperation and chart the way forward. We will also exchange views on the situation in some of your neighboring countries," the minister said.
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, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti), who is al-Burhan’s deputy on the council. The main points of contention between the two military organizations are related to the timeline and methods of forming unified armed forces of Sudan, as well as who should become the commander-in-chief of the army: a career military officer, which is an option supported by al-Burhan, 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. There have been several attempts to establish a ceasefire since then. According to the Sudanese Health Ministry, more than 3,000 people have been killed since the start of the hostilities, and at least 6,000 people were injured.