Stalemate in Korangal Valley

American soldiers come under fire in this Taliban stronghold where the fighting has been at a bloody draw for years. (NYT)

Close to the border with Pakistan in northeastern Afghanistan, the Korangal Valley has seen some of the most intensive fighting in this war for the last several years.

It is a small valley with no more than a few hundred houses, and a network of trails connecting the villages there. The area is considered a Taliban stronghold that has been in a stalemate with American forces for years.

This New York Times video is an up-close view of American counter-insurgency forces working in the Korangal Valley. On this day the platoon comes under attack by the Taliban and one American is killed during the ambush.

The report also includes an audio slideshow with photographer Tyler Hicks describing his experiences covering U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and an entry about Hicks in the New York Times visual journalism blog Lens. (http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com)

Journalists C.J. Chivers and Tyler Hicks were part of a team that received the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting for their work in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

CHANNEL: New York Times

Length: 5:37

CREDITS:
By C.J. Chivers & Rob Harris
Photography by Tyler Hicks

VIEW: http://video.nytimes.com/video/2009/05/13/world/asia/1194840189965/stalemate-in-korangal-valley.html

SEE ALSO:

Audio Slideshow:
“Photographers Journal: A Lens Through Night Vision Goggles”
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/05/13/world/asia/20090513-nightvisionjournal

“On Assignment: Moments Between Life and Death”
http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/on-assignment-with-tyler-hicks-in-afghanistan/

“In Bleak Afghan Outpost, Troops Slog On”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/world/asia/14korangal.html