Tsawwar… Ahmed Saeed
“Shot on a quiet street in Omdurman, Sudan, framed against the backdrop of the bullet-riddled structures and the damaged dome of the Sheikh Gariballah Mosque.
For over a century, the Sheikh Gariballah Mosque has stood as a spiritual and cultural anchor in Old Omdurman, Sudan. But the brutal civil conflict transformed this historic Sufi house of worship from a place of peace into a heavily contested frontline battleground. Caught in the crossfire of heavy artillery and urban combat, the building sustained devastating structural damage.
This image belongs to my documentary project #1120dayslater, which captures the persistence of everyday life as the conflict in Sudan endures. My goal is to redirect the global lens toward the resilience of our people, challenging the silence and abstraction that often surrounds wartime reporting.
Every step remains a quiet act of defiance and hope.”
Ahmad Saeed is a Sudanese photographer and business owner who made the decision to return home after 1120 days of war to bring his business back to life. Alongside his entrepreneurial work, he focuses on visual sociology, cultural memory, and human resilience during times of crisis. Through intimate street photography and long-term documentary archives, his work captures the intersections of identity, heritage, and survival within changing landscapes. His latest project, #1120dayslater, serves as a vital visual record of daily life and endurance in conflict-affected Sudan. @kratshyphotos
Tsawwar is an ongoing visual series in Daftar which explores the stories behind a photograph, taken in the region or by an Arab photographer, written in their own words.
