Magda Gad

Magda Gad (born 17 October 1975 in Falun) is a Swedish war correspondent and Middle Eastern analyst for the media outlet Expressen. She came to international prominence in June 2016 by covering the assault on Mosul in Iraq, where she reported the war against ISIS.

She has been based in Kabul, Afghanistan, since September 2018, and is one of the few western journalists who gained access to the Taliban. In October 2019, Gad returned to Iraq and Syria and reported about the uprising in Baghdad.

Magda Gad reported about Turkey's offensive against Kurdish-led SDF forces with allies in northeastern Syria in October 2019 and revealed suspected war crimes, such as the use of white phosphorus against civilians. In November 2019, she returned to Raqqah and reported about the aftermath of the war against ISIS. In December 2019, she reported about the revolution in Baghdad, Iraq. Gad reported from Saudi-coalition controlled areas in south Yemen and Houthi-controlled areas in north Yemen in 2018.

In 2017, she reported from the front lines of the war against ISIS in Raqqah, Syria. She was based in Iraq from 2016 and covered the war against ISIS in various parts of the country, including nine months in Mosul. Among her stories were the discovery of an ISIS mass grave in Hamam al-Alil and war crimes committed by Iraqi forces.

Gad did in-depth stories about the drug-affected ghettos in Romania 2016 and reported from both sides of the front lines in war-torn eastern Ukraine 2016. 2014 to 2015, she was based in Liberia during the Ebola outbreak and reported from inside the clinics.

In 2015, she reported about the war between drug cartels in Honduras and interviewed gang members from Mara Salvatrucha and Mara 18. She reported on the conflict over blood minerals in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo 2013 and exposed child slavery in Ethiopia 2013.

Magda Gad hosted the Swedish radio show Sommar I P1 2017. She is co-founder of the foreign news-reporting site Blankspot.

Gad has previously worked as a freelance journalist for newspapers such as Tidningen Vi, Läkartidningen, Modern Psykologi, Café, Svenska Dagbladet and as a news journalist for Aftonbladet.

Magda Gad studied Political Science and Journalism in Stockholm. Additional edX coursework: "Terrorism and Counterterrorism", Georgetown University, "Religion, Conflict and Peace", Harvard University, ”Islam Through Its Scriptures", Harvard University.

Co-author of books:

• Vi – de bästa texterna 2018
• En annan historia 2017

• Newspaper of the Year Award for Best Picture and Sound 2020.
• Stig Dagerman Award 2020
• Bronze Medal Award from the Board of Nordic Veterans Foundation 2019.
• Voice of the Year by Dagens Opinion 2019.
• European Newspaper Award for best War Journalism 2018.
• Swedish TV Award ”Kristallen” 2018.
• European Digital Media Awards finalist in Best in Social Media Engagement 2018.
• The Swedish Grand Prize for Journalism 2017.
• Per Wendel Prize for News Journalist of the Year 2017.
• Scoop of the Year by Faktum 2017.
• Finalist INMA for "World-class war coverage and interaction on Facebook" 2017.
• Silver for Distinguished Writing at European Press Prize 2016.
• The Honor Award by Wendela 2016.
• Cordelia Edvardson Award 2016.
• Journalist of the Year 2015.