Riots broke out in the streets of the Sudanese capital on Monday after southern leader John Garang was confirmed dead in an air crash.

An eyewitness said a group of people, most of them thought to be southerners, took to the streets in central Khartoum to express their shocked feelings toward the tragedy.

The rally stirred disorder, with some of the rioters setting ablaze some places. Black smoke was seen rising. There was no report of casualty in the riots.

Earlier in the day, Sudanese President Omar el-Bashir announced that Garang was killed in a helicopter crash Saturday evening.

Bashir said that the helicopter carrying Garang from Uganda to southern Sudan crashed, leading to the death of the first vice president and six others accompanying him as well as seven crewmen.

The death of Garang was a great loss to the Sudanese people, he said, adding the peace process in Sudan will continue.

The president urged all Sudanese people to keep patience and and calm to overcome "this hard test" and stick to unity and stability.

Garang signed with Bashir a peace deal on Jan. 9 to end a two- decade-old civil war in the south, and he was sworn in as first vice president on July 9.

Source: Xinhua