Postcards from Khartoum

Sudan has a long history of political instability. Since independence in 1956, the country has endured 20 coups d’etat, two civil wars and the Darfur genocide. In April 2023, a bloody civil war began between the army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This most recent conflict has now resulted in one of the largest humanitarian crises in the world. Over 13 million people have been displaced, of whom 3.5 million fled the country, and the death toll is estimated to be between 40,000 and possibly 400,000. There have been targeted attacks on hospitals, sexual violence is widespread, and the population is experiencing severe food insecurity, famine and catastrophic hunger. Women and children are the hardest hit, and aid workers are unsafe. The situation in Sudan remains underexposed in the international media to this day.

Postcards from Khartoum is an initiative by Sudanese photographer and curator Ala Kheir, through which he seeks to draw attention to Sudan and the work of local photographers, who are often forced to live abroad, scattered around the world. The project began as an Instagram account: @khartoum.postcards. For BredaPhoto, Kheir selected six Sudanese photographers from this project, inviting them to share their work with the festival’s audiences. They present their vision of Sudan, ranging from documentary to lyrical images contemplating the future of the country and its people. In this way, these photographers bear witness not only to violence and loss, but also to resilience, fortitude and hope.