Afghanistan: War Not Over

Photographs by John D. McHugh /
Getty Images

With Iraq dominating headlines, the world sometimes forgets about war-torn Afghanistan. Photographer John D. McHugh wants to make sure no one forgets. 'My previous trips had convinced me that there was a huge need for the world to understand the fight in Afghanistan,' he says. 'Many people thought it was all over.' In April, McHugh embedded as a freelance photographer with the U.S. military in Afghanistan, where his coverage quickly became very personal. On May 14, five weeks into his embed, he was shot in the stomach during a firefight between insurgents and combined U.S.-Afghan troops. McHugh survived his wounds. These photos, exclusive to NEWSWEEK, were taken before that firefight.