As the conflict in Sudan looks increasingly like civil war, Mai Hassan spoke to Mark Lynch about the origins of the rival military institutions and how things got to this point. Read or listen here. The Sudanese Army has confirmed that ex-president Omar Al-Bashir is being held in a military prison. Bashir was head-of-state for 30 years before being deposed in 2019.

Seventy-three followers of the Good News International Church were found dead of starvation in Kilifi County, Kenya. The church’s leader, Paul Mackenzie Nthenge, convinced his followers to renounce their belongings, retire to his farm, and stop eating. The deceased, including children, were buried in mass graves. The incident has sparked demands for government regulation of religious cults and churches.

• Tunisian President Kais Saied has arrested Rached Ghannouchi, flag bearer for the popular Enahda Party. Ghannouchi is the latest and most high-profile figure to be jailed in President Saied’s crackdown against political opposition.
• Nigerian multimedia company Comic Republic strikes a deal with UCP for film and TV adaptations.
• The ArtMiabo International Art Festival kicked off in Lagos April 27th and runs until May 1st. The festival highlights visual and musical artists under the theme “art of afrobeats.”

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Image: The view from Kilifi Bridge in Kilifi, Kenya. Creative Commons. 18 July 2019. Photo credit: E Tekere.