Khartoum, Dec 26 (IANS): Sudanese protesters have managed to reach the presidential palace in Khartoum to demand civilian rule, official SUNA news agency reported.

"The protesters reached the vicinity of the Republican Palace amid chants through which they affirmed rejection to the political agreement signed between the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the Transitional Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok," Xinhua news agency quoted the SUNA report as syaing.

Thousands of Sudanese citizens demonstrated in the capital Khartoum and other cities on Saturday.

The Sudanese authorities interrupted internal communications and the internet service before the start of Saturday's demonstrations.

According to witnesses, hundreds of Sudanese army soldiers and the Rapid Support Forces have been deployed at the entrances to the bridges linking the three major cities of the capital, including Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri.

On Friday, the Sudanese Professionals Association, the body leading the protests, urged citizens to take part in protests set for Saturday to demand full civilian authority.

Khartoum State's security committee, meanwhile, announced the closure of the bridges linking Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman cities as of Friday evening, excluding Suba and Halfaya bridges.

The committee said deviating from peacefulness, approaching and violating the sovereign and strategic sites in central Khartoum would be regarded as a violation of the laws, noting that "chaos and violations will be dealt with".

The country has been suffering 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.

However, on November 21, Al-Burhan and the then removed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok signed a political declaration, which included reinstating Hamdok as Prime Minister, but the deal has so far failed to calm the protesters.