Greek photographer Aris Messinis has been awarded the 19th Prix Bayeux-Calvados Awards for war correspondents for his work on the Battle of Sirte, Libya, from October last year. His images were captured while National Transitional Council forces launched their final assault on the last pockets of Gaddafi loyalists, a few days before the dictator’s death.
His images document the violence, but also the confusion and disorder that reigned during the final battle. Aris Messinis, 35, has been chief photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Greece since 2006.
He worked in Libya and Egypt during the “Arab Spring” and has won many prestigious awards such as Days Japan 2012, and Fotoweek 2011, NPPA. Works by Messinis were shown at this year’s Visa pour l’image alongside others by Louisa Gouliamaki and Angelos Tzortzinis – two other journalists based in the Athens AFP office – as part of an exhibition dedicated to violent protests against austerity measures imposed by the financial crisis.
