OIC calls for dialogue in Sudan after Bashir's ouster

The world's largest Islamic bloc on Sunday called on all parties in Sudan to pursue dialogue to guarantee a peaceful transition of power.

On Thursday, the Sudanese army ousted longtime President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan since 1989, following months of popular protests against his rule.

The army also established a military council to run the country for a transitional period of two years.

In a statement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) urged all Sudanese parties to "pursue constructive dialogue with a view to maintaining peace and social cohesion in the country and achieving aspirations of the Sudanese people for a peaceful transfer of power".

The call comes as thousands of Sudanese protesters continued their sit-in at front of the military headquarters in the capital Khartoum to demand the transfer of power to a civilian government.

On Saturday, Lt. Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, the head of the ruling military council, pledged large-scale political and economic reforms.

In a televised speech, Burhan said the country's two-year transitional period will end with free and fair elections and vowed to put on trial those involved in the killing of the protesters as well as corruption under the old regime.