lynsey addario, photographer

Afghanistan: Korengal Valley

Khalid, 7 years old, sits outside of the medical tent of a us military base after elders from a village claimed he was injured byshrapnel from a bomb dropped by the americans near his home. american forces admit to dropping a bomb in the area, and say the boy was most likely injured in the attack, but can not confirm 100%. civilians throughout afghanistan have been victims of both taliban attacks and united states bombs. October 2007.
   
Lt. Matt Piosa of the 173rd Division, Battle Company, sits in a bunker at a new outpost following a week of heavy fighting to take the outpost from Anti-Coalition Members in the Korengal Valley. October 2007.
   
Soldiers with the 173rd division and Afghan workers on the base as thrown back as a mortar fired by the Taliban lands about 20 feet from the opening of this bunker at the KOP forward operating base. The mortars were landing closer and closer get closer and closer to our position, incredibly accurate, until one landed almost on top of us, and one of the soldiers had his ear drum blown out. October 18, 2007.
     
  
American soldiers with the 173rd battle company, on a battalian-wide mission in the Korengal valley, looking for caves and weapons caches and known Taliban leaders.In photo: Tanner Stichter tends to Specialist Carl Vandeberge in the bushes moments after Vandeberge was shot in the stomach during a Taliban ambush, which killed one soldier, and wounded two others. Spc. Carl Vandeberge and Sgt. Kevin Rice, the other wounded soldier not shown here, were medevaced out by blackhawk for surgery. October 23, 2007.
  
American soldiers with the 173rd Division, Battle Company, on a battalian-wide mission in the Korengal Valley, looking for caves and weapons caches and known Taliban leaders.Sargeant Kevin Rice is assisted as he walks to a medevac helicopter minutes after he was shot in the stomach during a Taliban ambush, which killed one soldier, and wounded him and Spc. Carl Vandeberge. Both of the wounded were flown out immediately for surgery. October 23, 2007. (Credit: Lynsey Addario)
   
soldiers with the 173rd battle company, on a battalian-wide mission in the korengal valley, looking for caves and weapons caches and known taliban leaders.Sargeant Kevin Rice, center, and Specialist Carl Vandeberge, behind, are attended to by Doc Dean, left of frame, and other soldiers as they pause during their walk to a medevac helicopter minutes after they were both shot in the stomach during a Taliban ambush, which killed one soldier, and wounded both of them. Spc. Carl Vandeberge and Sgt. Kevin Rice, were flown out immediately for surgery. October 24, 2007. (Credit: Lynsey Addario)
     
  
Specialist Carl Vandeberge, center, and Sargeant Kevin Rice, behind, are assisted as they walk to a medevac helicopter minutes after they were both shot in the stomach during a Taliban ambush, which killed one soldier, and wounded both of them. Spc. Carl Vandeberge and Sgt. Kevin Rice, were flown out immediately for surgery. October 23, 2007.
   
American soldiers with the 173rd Division, Battle Company, on a battalian-wide mission in the korengal valley to look for caves and weapons caches and known anti-coalition leaders. Front left: Sgt. John Clinard, and right, Jay Liske, and other soldiers from Battle Company, carry the body of Sgt Larry Rougle, of Utah, towards the medevac helicopter along the abascar ridge in the mountains of Kunar. Rougle was killed less than an hour prior while their unit, a scout team, was standing guard at the furthest tip of a ridge, and was ambushed by the Taliban. Two other soldiers were shot and wounded: Sgt. Kevin Rice and spc. Carl Vandeberge, and were medevaced out for surgery minutes before. October 23, 2007.
   
Soldiers stand guard behind a tree stump as they wait for a medevac to come and take away the body of one of their soldiers shortly after the troops were ambushed by the Taliban, Korengal Valley. October 23, 2007.
     
  
American soldiers with the 173rd battle company, on a battalian-wide mission in the korengal valley, Afghanistan.Through night-vision goggles: JTAC Kevin Caroon, 28, 'sparkles' a target for the AC130 pilots above as he helps control close air support fire from above Yakachina village while on a mission with Battle company in the Korengal Valley. JTACs are Airforce-trained specialists in direct contact with the bomber pilots to call in airstrikes on certain targets while weighing and monitoring collateral damage potential. Captain Dan Kearney, the JTACs, and certain intelligence and communication specialists work as a team from afar but with a bird's eye view to help infantry troops on the ground. October 2007.
  
American soldiers with the 173rd Division, Battle Company, on a battalian-wide mission in the Korengal valley:Through night-vision goggles: captain Dan Kearney bows his head in frustration as he is denied a bombing request to attack men walking with weapons nearby while he overwatches his troops and controls close air support fire from above while on a mission in the Korengal Valley. The laser of the AC130 plane is visable tracking the potential target above his head. On the mission, Captain Keaney works with group of his soldiers and the jtacs, who are Airforce-trained specialists in direct contact with the bomber pilots to call in airstrikes on certain targets while weighing and monitoring collateral damage potential. Dan, the JTACs, and certain intelligence and communication specialists work as a team from afar but with a bird's eye view to help infantry troops on the ground, and the day prior, several civilians had been killed and almost a dozen others injured during their mission in the Korengal valley. October 2007.
   
Captain Dan Kearney, with the 173rd Division, Battle Company, speaks with Battalion headquarters as he watches over his troops and controls close air support fire from a ditch above the village with a group of his soldiers and the JTACs while on a battalion-wide mission in the Korengal Valley to find caves, weapons caches, and known anti-coalition members in the area. October 20, 2007.
     
  
US MILITARY BASE IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN: TASK FORCE CORSAIRA 15-y armaments technician loads infrared illuminations rockets onto an apache a-64 delta model before a possible hostile night mission. (credit: Lynsey Addario)
   
The mortar team fires mortars in response to a mortar attack from Anti-Coalition members on an American base in the Pesh River Valley in Kunar province. September 2007.
  
soldiers with the 173rd division, battle company: JTAC Gabe Beck, center, speaks with pilots of bomber jets in the Tactical operations center for Battle company as two different 'troops in contact' incidents unfold on screens in the command center. Beck, a JTAC, is an Airforce-trained specialist in direct contact with the bomber pilots to call in airstrikes on certain targets while weighing and monitoring collateral damage potential. The TOC at camp blessing helps control close air support based on intelligence and input for troops at more forward operating bases, and decisions made by more senior commanders than those on the ground. Left center is captain Jeff Pickler. September 2007.
     
  
Nine afghan army soldiers are treated in the aid station at an American base in the Pesh River valley shortly after they drove off a cliff while trying to drive with night-vision goggles while on a night mission with the US military.
  
PFC Garrett Clary, 20, with the first platoon of the 173rd battle company on patrol in a village near Vegas base in the korengal valley. Afghanistan, October 2007.
   
Soldiers with the 173rd division ride, first platoon of battle company, look over notes after the evening meeting on the day's happenings. Sgt Chris Shelton, center, looks at Sgt Gallardo, left, as Sgt Sandifer looks on. far left is lt. brad winn at Vegas base, a forward operating base, in the mountains of kunar, afghanistan. The soldiers use red headlamps to minimize the distance the light travels.
     
  
PFC Nikolai Polikolsky, 21, top bunk, a gunner, of riverside, california, listens to music and looks at pictures of his girlfriend. bottom bunk: PFC rocky tyler, 20, of Atlanta, GA, a driver, watches 'Heros' on dvd during downtime at the KOP forward operating base in Kunar. October 2007. Credit: Lynsey Addario
   
Afghan elders from a 'hostile' village in the Korengal Valley listen to American commanders explain why they had to attack their village with heavy airpower the night before, while on a week-long mission to look for caves, weapons caches, and known anti-coalition members in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, October 2007. The American attacks were prompted after US intelligence picked up armed ACM in the area, and it killed several civilians and injured others.
  
Sgt. Joshue Sands, 23, medic, tends to an Afghan girl, Sophia, 1, who was burned in an accident in her home as her sister, miriam, 5, holds her, and her father, Abdul Shakur, sits closeby. the medevac team often picks up afghans not injured by coalition forces in order to win 'hearts and minds' of the civilian population, in addition to those they pick up who were injured inadvertently in collateral damage during attacks. the soldier looking on is a canadian escort for the afghani family to the hospital on kandahar base.
     
  
A soldier with the 173rd battle company sits alone in the dust of a medevac helicopter after the helicopter airlifted out the body of one of his comrades who had just been shot and killed in a Taliban ambush while on , on a battalian-wide mission in search of Taliban and weapons caches in the korengal valley on the abascar rideline. One soldier was killed, and two others were injured in a Taliban ambush less than an hour prior. The wounded, Spc. Carl Vandeberge and Sgt. Kevin Rice, were flown out immediately for surgery. October 23, 2007.