An Afghan elder waits for a food donation at a Pakistan refugee camp.
A Pakistan refugee camp guard chase away two Afghan boys.
Afghan refugee women wait for food dontation at a Pakistan refugee camp.
An Afghan refugee child cligs to a sheet of plastic at a Pakistan refugee camp.
Afghan refugees gather at a refugee camp in Pakistan.
Two Afghan refugee boys wait at a refugee camp in Pakistan.
A travel visa issued to me by the Taliban.
all photos by David Longstreath/Associated Press
Back in 2001, I took off for a two week run through Pakistan in hopes of getting a visa into Afghanistan. There was a massive refugee crisis as thousands of Afghans were fleeing fighting between the Taliban and government forces. In Islamabad, Pakistan, at the office, I soon discovered that getting necessary documents from the Taliban might be difficult. Just me being in Pakistan was difficult many would think, but going to Afghanistan was not a good idea.
It was the first time for me to meet B.K. Bangash, the AP chief photographer in Pakistan. BK was a wonderful person. He welcomed me into his "patch of territory" with open arms. I was there to produce a picture story on the plight of the Afghanistan refugees and conflict in the region, how far I got would be with BK's help. It was not to be. Tensions between the United States and the Taliban in Afghanistan were at an all-time high. The Taliban gave me a one month visa, but the office in Islamabad warned me not to go. I would have to settle for working the story in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area near the Khyber pass.
Every day thousands of refugees were pouring across the border, Entire families on foot, most with only the clothes on their backs. In a camp called Jalozi, near Peshawar, Pakistan I shot the photos you see in the slide show.
Back in 2001, I took off for a two week run through Pakistan in hopes of getting a visa into Afghanistan. There was a massive refugee crisis as thousands of Afghans were fleeing fighting between the Taliban and government forces. In Islamabad, Pakistan, at the office, I soon discovered that getting necessary documents from the Taliban might be difficult. Just me being in Pakistan was difficult many would think, but going to Afghanistan was not a good idea.
It was the first time for me to meet B.K. Bangash, the AP chief photographer in Pakistan. BK was a wonderful person. He welcomed me into his "patch of territory" with open arms. I was there to produce a picture story on the plight of the Afghanistan refugees and conflict in the region, how far I got would be with BK's help. It was not to be. Tensions between the United States and the Taliban in Afghanistan were at an all-time high. The Taliban gave me a one month visa, but the office in Islamabad warned me not to go. I would have to settle for working the story in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area near the Khyber pass.
Every day thousands of refugees were pouring across the border, Entire families on foot, most with only the clothes on their backs. In a camp called Jalozi, near Peshawar, Pakistan I shot the photos you see in the slide show.