Turkey calls sides in Sudan conflict to end fighting and return to negotiations

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan called on both sides in Sudan to end conflict and return to negotiations, the Turkish presidency said on Thursday.

Khartoum and its sister cities Omdurman and Bahri, one of Africa's most populous urban areas, have been rocked by battles this week between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Erdogan held separate phone calls with Sudan's head of state and army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, according to a statement from the Turkish presidency.

Erdogan told both sides that Turkey was following events in Sudan with concern, and invited them to end the conflict and return to dialogue, the statement said.

Turkey was ready to provide all kinds of support, including hosting possible mediation initiatives, he also told Sudanese parties, the statement added.

Erdogan called on conflicting parties in Sudan to take appropriate measures for safe use of Khartoum Airport to ensure the transfer of Turkish citizens from the country, the Turkish presidency also said.

(Reporting by Huseyin Hayatsever; editing by Jonathan Oatis)