There have been growing expressions of support both from within Sudan and abroad for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who on Sunday dissolved parliament and declared a state of emergency.

He was trying to prevent efforts by the influential speaker of parliament, Hassan al-Turabi, to curb his powers.

The Arab League has announced its backing for President Bashir, and opposition figures in Sudan have also welcomed his move against Mr Turabi.

General Bashir, with public opinion behind him, now appears to be strengthening his grip on power.

His rival, Hassan Turabi, met on Wednesday with his supporters, at the headquarters of what was the ruling party, the National Congress.

They are expected to decide later to expel President Bashir from the party, along with his vice-president and several ministers.

Peaceful resolution

But members of the National Congress now say they believe the crisis can be resolved peacefully.

Mr Turabi must be aware that with the vast bulk of the Sudanese security forces behind President Bashir, he would have little chance of winning any violent showdown.

President Bashir is also treading carefully to avoid aggravating tensions.

He has instructed that members of the dissolved parliament should continue to receive their salaries.

Opposition support

Leading opposition figures in Khartoum have welcomed President Bashir's move against Mr Turabi, who had been the main ideologue of the country's Islamist government, and who the opposition see as their main enemy.

A senior official of the Democratic Unionist Party, Sid Ahmed Hussein, said he believed that with Mr Turabi now effectively removed from decision making, the way was paved for national reconciliation in Sudan.

That, he said, was what both the Sudanese people and the international community wanted.

On Tuesday, Mr Turabi called for a Jihad - a holy struggle - against the president's decision to impose a state of emergency.