Mass protests demanding civilian rule started in the Sudanese capital Khartoum and other cities on Thursday.

Many protesters assembled at the Sharwani bus station to march to the Republican Palace, eyewitnesses told Xinhua News Agency.

Hundreds of army soldiers have been deployed at the entrances to the bridges linking the three major cities of Khartoum, Omdurman and Bahri. Large sections of the bridges were also closed by the authorities before the start of the demonstrations.

In Bahri, security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowd as people marched toward the capital, Reuters said, also citing a witness.

The AFP reported similar protests in Madani, south of the capital, and the cities of Kassala and Port Sudan in the east. 

Internet service on mobile phones in Sudan was interrupted early on Thursday.

The African country has been embroiled in a political crisis after General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on October 25 and dissolved the Sovereign Council and government.

On November 21, Al-Burhan and the then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, including reinstating Hamdok as prime minister. But the deal has so far failed to calm the streets.