Sudanese pay respects to Garang

John Garang led southern Sudan for 21 years

The body of former rebel leader John Garang has embarked on a tour of the main southern Sudanese towns before his funeral on Saturday in Juba.

He died three weeks after being named vice-president as part of a peace deal.

A BBC reporter in Kurmuk in upper Blue Nile province said there was crying among the hundreds of supporters who came to see the casket in the open air.

His successor as southern leader, Salva Kiir, has also been appointed as national vice-president.

The BBC's Caroline Karobia says the atmosphere at Kurmuk air strip was very emotional.

Mr Garang's widow and his children are accompanying the body of the long-time southern leader.

"We have to keep his [Garang's] promise. We have to implement the peace agreement," Riak Machar, one of Mr Garang's former colleagues told the crowd.

'Preach peace'

The capital, Khartoum, is reported to be calm, with no more of the clashes between southerners and Arabs sparked by Mr Garang's death.

More than 130 people were killed in three days of violence.

Enemies of peace may want to take the opportunity of the situation so that they don't allow the government and the SPLM to implement the peace agreement Salva Kiir Vice-president

An overnight curfew has been imposed and heavily-armed police and soldiers are on patrol.

A Sudanese minister has urged Muslim preachers not to further inflame tensions - most northerners are Muslims, while southerners are generally Christians or animists.

"This directive is to the imams of mosques: You must prevent discord - if that is what it is you are doing," said Religious Affairs Minister Kamal Sid-Ahmad.

The US has expressed deep concern over the situation. Its two envoys are due to meet President Omar al-Bashir.

The BBC's Jonah Fisher in Khartoum says Mr Bashir has moved quickly to fill the political vacuum left by Mr Garang's death and issued a presidential decree appointing Mr Kiir as vice-president.

Shops burnt

Most of the violence has occurred in the capital, Khartoum, where some 400 people have been injured , according to the Red Cross.

State media said more than 1,400 suspects have been arrested.

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The city centre lies in ruins, with shops burnt and looted and cars wrecked, Reuters news agency reports.

At least 19 people are reported to have been killed in the southern town of Juba, where Mr Garang is due to be buried on Saturday and in the central town Malakal.

Both southerners and northerners have been attacked in Khartoum

Northerners - many of whom have lived in the south for decades - are said to be packing up and leaving Juba.

They are mainly traders and the city is reportedly running short of food.

Leaders of both sides earlier urged calm, agreeing to set up a joint inquiry into what caused the crash of Mr Garang's helicopter.

But correspondents say there is a real danger that a much-vaunted peace deal ending 21 years of civil war could be shattered by the sudden violence.

"Enemies of peace may want to take the opportunity of the situation so that they don't allow the government and the SPLM to implement the peace agreement," Mr Kiir said.

"We want this situation to be stopped as soon as possible so that security returns to Khartoum and its suburbs."