Year in pictures - 2021

In late February last year I moved to Beirut to report for the Norwegian newspaper VG. Here are some of the stories I’ve done.

A bridal party traverses the streets of Beirut, Lebanon during a demonstration in the capital on June 26th.

Life in Lebanon is becoming increasingly difficult for the population, with soaring inflation and many families having difficulties of putting food on the table. The economic collapse have been called one of the worlds worst since the 1850s by the World Bank.

As a consequence, demonstrations have been happening regular has a way for the population to show their mistrust and frustration against the government.

The al-Hawl detention camp in northern Syria now houses 60,000 women and children. After ISIS was territorially defeated in 2019, their women and children were housed together in camps in Syria, with no opportunity to leave.

The summer of 2021 was another grim year in Lebanon, where old forests went up in smoke. Here, two drive through the remains of historic forest that burned in the north of the country.

Lebanon is ravaged by more, and stronger, wildfires.. The UN believe the world will see more of this as a result of man-made climate change. At the same time, they criticize the world for not acting to prevent disaster.

A civilian on a motorbike is traversing a road block set up by protesters in Beirut, Lebanon against the worsening living conditions in the country.

During a demonstration in Beirut, Lebanon, a man shows the peace sign while carrying a bullet.

In the autumn of 2021, a huge influx of refugees came from various countries in the Middle East and towards Belarus. Their goal is to reach Poland and into the EU. But first they have to cross the dangerous border that separates Poland and Belarus. Those who actually pass trough the border, often leave clothes and belongings in the forest before they are picked up by human traffickers and flee further into Poland and the EU.

Darkness descends on the capital of Lebanon, Beirut, in July. During the summer, the whole national power grid came down, and only the few ones that had private generators - and money for diesel - were able to have lights in their home.

---

From drought to oil

The drought in northern Syria has been described as the worst in the country for the last 70 years. Shepards and farmers have struggled to make ends meet, and some have even taken up work at the potentially lethal makeshift oil raffineres in the Hasakah-province.

The access to water has been so restricted many places so on some parts drinking water is more expensive than benzine.

These raffineres are dangerous both for the people working there, for the local environment and for the population nearby. The story in VG.

---

Escaping from the Taliban

Thousands of Afghans have embarked on a life-threatening escape from the Taliban and Afghanistan, but face strict and closed borders.

In addition, many face violence from border guards, which makes it difficult for them to reach Turkey and Europe. If they are seen by the police here in Turkey, they fear that they will be arrested - and in the worst case - forcibly returned to Afghanistan.

The story in VG.

---

Nadah

7-year-old Nadah was born into a brutal war.

She and her family have now fled the front line, but in order to survive in everyday life, she and the rest of the family must collect trash. They are looking for everything they can find of values that can then be resold.

The war in Syria has forced 6.7 million to become internally displaced, and six million have fled the country. Estimates show that around 590,000 people have lost their lives in the ten-year war.

The story in VG.

---

The collapsing city

When the war in neighboring Syria started, hell broke out in the city of Arsal in Lebanon. They received tens of thousands of Syrian refugees, ISIS fighters invaded the city and the mayor was threatened received death threats.

The Islamist terrorists were chased out of the city after three years, but shortly afterwards the country's economy collapsed with soaring inflation and many families having difficulties of putting food on the table. The economic collapse have been called one of the worlds worst since the 1850s by the World Bank. Now everyday life has become a struggle for survival.

The story in VG.

Lebanon calling

In march I took on a new adventure, and together with my partner we moved to Beirut, Lebanon.

For the next year, maybe two, I will work here as the Middle East correspondent for the Norwegian Newspaper VG, with text, photos and videos.

You can follow my most recent work on Instagram, but here are a few recent pictures from Lebanon.

Gym for The New York Times

“In an unusual experiment, researchers found no coronavirus infections among thousands of people allowed to return to their gyms.”

Photos for NYT to a story on a study on the spread of coronavirus among people at the gym.

Mikkel Blaker (22) and Kristian Hagen Risberg (21) top works out in his gym, that recently opened again after being closed due to covid-19.

OSLO, NORWAY - JUNE 25, 2020: People relax and swim at Nydalen in Oslo, Norway on a sunny day. Measures due to coronavirus has been eased across Norway.

A European odyssey: A portrait of Europe during the pandemic

“Two journalists travelled from the North Cape to Sicily to document a Europe divided by the coronavirus crisis.”

In June me and writer Per-Christian Selmer Anderssen reached Sicilia, after 8000 kilometer on the road. With tent, water, dry food and masks, we drove through a Europe that was unlike anything we’ve experienced before. The story has been published in Al Jazeera and Aftenposten. Some photos below, but I recommend to read and see the full story in Al Jazeera.