EPA’s staff photographer in Syria, Mohammed Badra, was awarded 2nd prize in the ‘Spot News – Stories’ category in the World Press Photo 2019 Contest for his photo story ‘Syria, No Exit’ which is made up of 10 images depicting how the people of Eastern Ghouta were under siege by government forces for five years.
Eastern Ghouta is a suburban district outside Damascus and one of the last rebel held enclaves in the ongoing Syrian conflict.
This recent accolade adds to a number of awards Mohammed has won for his harrowing coverage of the Syrian conflict.
About Mohammed Badra: Mohammed Badra was born in Douma, Syria. He studied architecture at Damascus University but had to abandon his studies during his third year as the Syrian Revolution started. It was never his intention to become a photographer, it was born out of necessity. It was while Badra worked as first aid response with the Syrian Red Crescent that he started to take his first pictures as an amateur photographer. He went on to join epa in October 2015 as a staff photographer based in Douma.
His strongest desire is that his photography increases the awareness of the atrocities that happened and are still happening in Syria.
