A campaign using artificial intelligence to impersonate Omar al-Bashir, the former leader of Sudan, has received hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok, adding online confusion to a country torn apart by civil war.

An anonymous account has been posting what it says are “leaked recordings” of the ex-president since late August. The channel has posted dozens of clips – but the voice is fake.

Bashir, who has been accused of organising war crimes and was toppled by the military in 2019, hasn’t been seen in public for a year and is believed to be seriously ill. He denies the war crimes accusations. The mystery surrounding his whereabouts adds a layer of uncertainty to a country in crisis after fighting broke out in April between the military, currently in charge, and the rival Rapid Support Forces militia group