General Awad Ibn Auf, the head of Sudan's transitional military council, has resigned a day after toppling President Omar al-Bashir amid protests.

Defence Minister Awad Ibn Auf announced on state TV that he was stepping down as head of the new military council and would be replaced by Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan.

Ibn Auf said he took the decision to step down in order to preserve the unity of the armed forces.  

General Ibn Auf’s resignation on Friday pointed to disagreements within the Sudanese army.

The move comes after protesters vowed to stay on the streets despite a curfew imposed by the military council, saying the transitional military council led by Ibn Auf is part of the same regime of Omar al-Bashir.

The Sudanese Professionals Association described the decision by General Ibn Auf to step down as a "victory" for the Sudanese people.

"The stepping down of General Awad Ibn Auf is a victory of the people's will," the group spearheading the protests said.

President Bashir's ouster on Thursday followed months of anti-government protests that began in December over soaring prices. Dozens of people have been killed in the protests.