Power struggle in Sudan

The Sudanese President, Omar al-Bashir, has accused his former ally and secretary-general of the ruling Islamist party, Hassan al-Turabi, of plotting to overthrow the government.

Addressing a meeting of the ruling National Congress party ,Mr al-Bashir said Mr al-Turabi was inciting army officers and Islamic militants mujahedeen against the government.

General al-Bashir warned that decisive steps will be taken to resolve the crisis, but did not elaborate.

Mr al-Turabi, a former speaker of parliament, was a close associate of President al-Bashir until late last year, when the president dissolved parliament and declared a state of emergency.

He accused Mr al-Turabi then of running a parallel administration.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service