Photographs taken by Courage in Photojournalism Award Winner

Photojournalist Adrian Hovhannisyan in 2016 was recognized as the most courageous journalist. The Ani Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award is given to women who demonstrate strength of character, courage, perseverance and selflessness in the profession. The award was established in 2014 in honor of Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus, who died in Afghanistan.

Working in East Africa, Adrian Hovhannisyan has spent several years covering the devastating civil war in South Sudan, as well as local humanitarian crises and civil conflicts in the region. During the war, several tens of thousands of people died in the state, many were forced to leave their homes. In the competition series, Oganesyan talks about the difficult fate of such people and the problems they face.

(Total 11 photos)

The Sudan People's Liberation Army, led by Abdul Wahid, makes its way to the front lines in the last rebel-held territories in Central Darfur. Sudan, 4 March 2015.

Photo posted by Adriane Ohanesian (@adrianeohanesian) May 5, 2016 at 12:36 pm PDT

The empty seat in this car was to be taken by Adrian. Then the photographer went to the region of Darfur, controlled by the rebels. The photo is dated February 20, 2015. Most of the territories where the photographer was shooting were controlled by the Sudan People's Liberation Army at that time. Now these lands are under the control of the government.

Women and children sit near the cave they fled to to hide from government bombardments. The main goal of these armed attacks is to eliminate the rebels in Central Darfur. Sudan, March 2, 2015.

Hundreds of women and children flee the scenes of armed clashes and seek refuge during the ongoing government bombing. Often, locals stay in shelter for a long time - they live right in the caves. Sudan, March 2, 2015.

Members of the rebel group Sudan People's Liberation Army protect the mountain line from the government army. Sudan, 4 March 2015.

Adam Abdel, 7, suffered horrific burns when government planes dropped a bomb near his family's home on February 12, 2015. Sudan, February 27, 2015.

South Sudanese army soldiers looted and burned the houses of the Nuer people in Juba Agency. South Sudan, January 2014.

Suspected al-Shabaab members sit on the ground after being arrested by Somali National Intelligence soldiers. Mogadishu, Somalia, May 4, 2014.

Photo posted by Adriane Ohanesian (@adrianeohanesian) Mar 28, 2016 at 5:58 PDT

A mother who fled the war in Yemen with three children holds her sick daughter in her arms. In a refugee camp in Djibouti, a girl cannot receive medical care. East Africa, Djibouti, January 13, 2015.

While waiting to be ferried to Yemen by boat, Ethiopian migrants live right under a tree on the outskirts of Obock, Djibouti. After the crossing, these people want to go to Saudi Arabia to find work there. East Africa, Djibouti, January 12, 2015.

A young Ethiopian girl goes to meet other migrants and their escorts, hoping to also get on one of the boats bound for Yemen. January 12, 2015.