Sudan`s former president Ahmed al-Mirghani, who was unseated by the Islamist-backed military coup that swept the current head of state to power 19 years ago, died on Sunday at the age of 67, state television said.

It quoted President Omar al-Beshir as announcing that Mirghani, who was deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and the religious leader of a Sufi Muslim group, died in the afternoon.

In keeping with Sudanese tradition, three days of mourning prayers will be conducted at the Sayed Ali al-Mirghani grand mosque in Khartoum North.