The Diplomat‘s Franz-Stefan Gady spent the month of December in Afghanistan, where he embedded with the Afghan National Army’s 201st corps in Nangarhar and with the NATO “Resolute Support” Mission in Kabul, Kandahar, and Parwan provinces.
The following photo essay consists of pictures taken while traveling the country in December 2015. Among other things, the photos depict military operations of the Afghan National Security and Defense Forces (ANSDF) against Islamic State militants in Achin district, Nangarhar province. They also try to show the human toll the war still takes on NATO personnel in the country, despite an official end of NATO combat operations in 2014.
Gady’s reports for The Diplomat from Afghanistan include “How NATO Advises Afghanistan’s National Security Forces“, “Revenge of the Taliban: The Story of the Afghan Soldier Mumtaz,” “Afghanistan: US Air Force’s Mission Has Not Changed,” and “Next Stop Jalalabad: Traveling on One of the World’s Most Dangerous Roads.” He also wrote a first-hand account of his experience at the frontline with ANSDF fighting the Islamic State in Achin district, Nangarhar province, which was published in the January issue of The Diplomat Magazine. Gady also recently shared his experience in the country with Ankit Panda on an Asia Geopolitics podcast.