It was shocking to wake up on April 15 in Khartoum to the sounds of heavy machine guns. Like many others, I thought it would be a minor incident that would soon pass. I was wrong — we were all wrong. Nearly three years later, I find myself a witness to conflict and displacement.
As the city grew unsafe, with stray bullets and random shelling filling the days, we were like sitting ducks caught in the crossfire between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. That was when my journey began.
I left Khartoum for Wad Madani in the south and began documenting the journey — the places, the encounters, and most importantly, the voices of the millions of Sudanese forced from their homes, many of whom later became refugees in neighboring countries.
My path took me across Sudan, into South Sudan, and eventually to Chad. Along the way, I witnessed the human toll of war firsthand. Through it all, I turned to photography as a tool of resistance and testimony — a way to advocate and shed light on the immense humanitarian cost of Sudan’s war.
Sudanese who have been largely forgotten amid global crises and shrinking humanitarian aid. This work is both personal and political. I carry my camera not only to document, but to search for friends and family scattered across these camps, to reconnect, to listen, and to give voice to those enduring their second displacement.
This is a journey of memory, loss, and resilience. And it is a call to not look away.
Stray bullets
Within days of the conflict erupting in Khartoum the city had turned into a battlefield of heavy shelling and stray bullets The violence forced most residents to flee beginning a displacement journey that has yet to end Khartoum 2023
Adre Border
Most Sudanese refugees from Darfur fled the war through the Adr border into Chad where more than 700 000 people have crossed Adre 2025
Khadija at the poultry farm
Khadija used to live in Southern khartoum which is the side of the city that saw very intese fights driving most resedents outside the city the displacement was so massive that people found no where to live Khadija and her family eneded living in an abandoned poultery farm 200km south of Khartoum Wad Madani 2023
Renk Port
Cargo metal barges at Renk port were the only mood of transport for Sudanese refugees to travel up river to Malakal city Renk 2023
Camps of women
Women group meeting at Farchana Farchana Refugee Camp established on January 17 2004 is located less than 100 Km from the Adr border crossing in eastern Chad Initially set up to accommodate refugees fleeing the Darfur conflict the majority here are women and children Furchana 2025
Hanna
Hanna was born a Sudanese then the country splits and Hanna now is a South Sudanese The conflict in South Sudan forced Hanna to become a refugee in Khartoum In 2019 Hanna moved to Um Sangour refugee camp to reunite with her family This is where she got married and still living br Hanna Wilson recently lost two of her young children to health complications 2025
Suha & Suhaila
Suha Suhaila Ahmed the 12 years old twins from my hometown Nyala br With their family they crossed 2360 KM from one town to the next looking for a safer place to stay The sisters and their sick mother ended up in the humid and hot Portsudan Living temporarily in a hostel that hosts many IDPs from different parts of the country waiting for the war in Khartoum to end 2025
awaiting
Renk reception center where sounds of Sudanese refugee 2025
Renk border crossing
Sudan-South Sudan border In October 2023 about 3000 Sudanese refugees cross into South Sudan 2023
A journey to a new home
Haleema and many other women with their families o the UNHCR truck that takes them from the border to the newly constructed refugee camp 300km from the border of Adre 2025
Hawa
Hawa Ahmed Adam is 18-year-old student at Farchana secondary school She was born in the settlement her parents arrived in 2004 after fleeing the Darfur war
Adre town
Most Sudanese refugees who are from Darfur had to scape the war by moving to Chad through Adre border which saw the crossing of over 700 thousand Sudanese refugee 2025