The denial follows a joint statement by British, American and Norwegian envoys that Wagner Group personnel had been engaged in social media disinformation campaigns and illegal gold mining in Sudan.

"The Sudanese government wishes to deny [these reports] in totality," Sudan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The authorities accused the Western diplomats of attempting to draw Sudan into the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Recently, Sudan’s deputy leader, Lt Gen Mohamed Hamdan "Hemeti" Dagalo, visited Moscow - and was in the country on the day Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russia’s mercenaries have been accused of committing human rights abuses in neighbouring Central African Republic (CAR). Western countries also say Wagner mercenaries have been deployed in Mali.

The paramilitary group has thousands of fighters in Libya, where they have been backing renegade general, Khalifa Haftar, against forces loyal to a government in Tripoli.

Sudan’s former long-serving President Omar al-Bashir was an ally of Moscow - since he was toppled in 2019 amid mass protests, the country’s military leader have maintained strong relations with Russia.

In a meeting with President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in 2017, Bashir had sought Moscow’s protection from what he called “aggressive acts of the United States”.