CAIRO (AP) — Thousands have taken to the streets in the Sudanese capital to call for President Omar al-Bashir to step down. It's the latest in nearly three weeks of demonstrations against the rule of the longtime autocrat.

Protesters gathered at five points in Khartoum before they began to march on al-Bashir's Nile-side palace in the city center.

Police used tear gas to disperse them. There were no immediate reports of casualties. There were also protests on Sunday in the town of Wad Madani, south of Khartoum.

Al-Bashir, an Islamist, has been in power since he led a military coup 29 years ago. He has shown no signs that he might step down anytime soon and continues to blame the country's problems on international sanctions and plots against its Islamic "experience."