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Children in Conflict Zones

Photographs of children in conflict-affected areas, illustrating their daily lives, interactions with soldiers, and the impact of military presence on local communities.

A Young Girl Stands Behind a Line of Concertina Razor Wire Outside of a U.S. Marine Corps Forward Operating Base in the Town of Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
A Young Girl Stands Behind a Line of Concertina Razor Wire Outside of a U.S. Marine Corps Forward Operating Base in the Town of Marjah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
155 assets in this story
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Commander Dan Taylor - Rescue - 26-HK-281-152. Hurricane Katrina
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050826-A-1327A-027. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Salerno State: Khowst Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: 1ST BDE 82ND ABN
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Adjabiya Hospital Rebel fighters killed in the combat of ras lanuf
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050821-A-6108G-165. Base: Najaf Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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MUA, Tonga (June 17, 2013) U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Antonel Cruz Padilla asks a Tongan citizen to read after prescribing him a pair of reading glasses at a health fair during Pacific Partnership 2013. Pacific Partnership provides the opportunity to work closely with partner nation service members, host nation civilian agencies, and non-governmental organizations to enhance the collective ability to provide assistance and disaster relief.
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MSGT Gary Bushnell, Airfield Evaluation Team Leader of the 823rd Redhorse Squadron, Hurlburt, FL. is assisted by Somalis from the village of Hoddur. The rocks were gathered, formed to the shape of a rectangle and spray painted red to act as a threshold marker. Subject Operation/Series: PROVIDE RELIEF Base: Hoddur Country: Somalia (SOM)
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060812-N-3931M-130. Base: Tarakan Country: Indonesia (IDN)
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AGADEZ, Niger - Members of the 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion along with Niger Armed Forces - Affair Civil Militaire (FAN ACM) members speak to a class of students from the Agadez Mining School in Niger, Oct. 13, 2022. Soldiers from the battalion perform civil affairs operations as part of the 409th Air Expeditionary Group and U.S. Africa Commands mission to continually assist Nigers efforts toward greater stability, enhanced security, and economic development.
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Gunnery Sgt. Chad R. Kiehl, combat camera chief, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, pushes a child through a playground at the Rehabilitation Institute of Active Learning center in Adliya, Kingdom of Bahrain, March 14. Servicemembers volunteered to interact with disabled children attending RIA, as part of a U.S. Naval Forces Central Command community relations event. Marines and Sailors from 24th MEU and USS Ashland visited the RIA center during their first liberty port in Bahrain. 24th MEU is currently on a seven-month deployment aboard ships comprising the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group, serving as CENTCOM's theatre reserve force.
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Yemen, Abayn Mountain Area, Village, Local Weapons Store
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030430-M-5882-040. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Hillah Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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U.S. Marine Cpt. Jon Tamanah, team leader assigned to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) and Mr. Anthony Hewitt, geographer build rapport with locals in the East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea on Sep. 14, 2022. The investigation team visited multiple areas across the mountainous East Sepik Province in hopes of recovering missing U.S. service members lost during World War II. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and the nation.
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Navy Lt. Amber Higginson, a medical officer from Bethesda, Md., and Lance Cpl. Reinaldo Reyes, native of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, and Spanish translator from Company A, 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, Ground Combat Element of Special-Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force Continuing Promise 2010, check a child for skin rashes at a medical site in a high school gymnasium in Bribri, Costa Rica, Aug. 23, 2010. Marines, sailors and USS Iwo Jima personnel are ported in Limon, Costa Rica, providing medical, dental, veterinary, community relations and engineering services to Costa Ricans as part of the CP10 mission during their deployment to the Caribbean, Central and South America.
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U.S. Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard C. Holbrooke, with Pakistani Brigadier Mehmood and Thatta District Coordination Officer (DCO) Manzoor Ali Shaikh, visits the Makli Cricket Stadium Army IDP Camp in Thatta, Pakistan.
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050821-A-6108G-183. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Erbil Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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051215-A-7359K-086. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Forward Operating Base Warrior State: Kirkuk Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION
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030521-M-4547R-003. Subject Operation/Series: COBRA GOLD Country: Thailand (THA)
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AGADEZ, Niger - U.S. Army Sergeant Sara Corey, 443rd Civil Affairs Battalion team medic, explains the different donations the team provided to a local womens clinic in Agadez, Niger, Oct. 12, 2022. Soldiers from the battalion perform civil affairs operations as part of the 409th Air Expeditionary Group and U.S. Africa Commands mission to continually assist Nigers efforts toward greater stability, enhanced security, and economic development.
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Funeral of Anti Terrorism Squad Chief Hemant Karkare killed by terrorist attack in Bombay Mumbai Copyright: xDinodiaxPhotox
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DF-ST-87-09633. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT Base: Chongju Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)
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060526-A-3749Z-019. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Charikar State: Parwan Country: Afghanistan (AFG)
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050821-A-6108G-184. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Erbil Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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Quad, Transfennec, Tunisia
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030623-M-0367H-005. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Karbala Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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A member of the Ban Prakaet village poses for a photo before making lunch to celebrate the new school room being built by the Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, Royal Thai Marines with the Royal Thai Marine Corps Construction Company of Combat Engineers and Members of the Singapore Army with the 30th Combat Engineer Brigade at the Ban Prakaet School at Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 18, 2024. Marines of MWSS-171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. Marine Corps
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981218-M-3661W-005. Subject Operation/Series: UPHOLD DEMOCRACY Base: Ha Site Merger Country: Haiti (HTI)
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Mexico's southern border has recently been plagued by extremely violent crime from Mara Salvatrucha gang members, fleeing anti-gang crachdowns in El Salvador and Honduras.
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050821-A-6108G-232. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Fallujah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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041211-M-0036Y-021. Base: Ar Ramadi State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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Captain Moore, United States Army Civil Affairs, visits with Omar Rafiki, CHIEF to the village of Mado Gashi, after a drop of food by Marine Corps C-130 Hercules aircraft during Joint Task Force Kenya, opertion Noble Response. (Duplicate image, see also DM-SD-02-04688 or search 980304-M-4605W-007). Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE RESPONSE Base: Madogashi Country: Kenya (KEN)
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040514-F-4539R-013. Base: Tallil Air Base State: Dhi Qar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCAM
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060316-A-0527A-012. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Kandahar Airfield Country: Afghanistan (AFG)
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030604-M-5882G-019. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Hillah Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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020530-M-9902V-009. Country: Indonesia (IDN) Scene Major Command Shown: 3 MEF
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concentration of Christian troops, battle between Moors and Christians, festivities of the patron saint, Pollença, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Europe.
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U.S. service members ride camels at the Prince Sultan Air Base Museum, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2022. More than 700 U.S. service members attended the Saudi Cultural Day. The three-day event, May 27-29, was hosted through a collaborative effort between the Scientist's Gift Program, local members of the Royal Saudi Air Force, and the 378th Air Expeditionary Wings Host Nation Coordination Cell, to provide an opportunity to learn about the history, culture and traditions of Saudi Arabia.
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051015-A-2098S-075. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Forward Operating Base Marez State: Mosul Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: NORTHEAST
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060221-N-4772B-037. Complete Scene Caption: US Navy (USN) CHIEF Culinary SPECIALIST Albino Palomo, Harpers Ferry Class Dock Landing Ship, USS HARPERS FERRY (LSD 49), Forward Deployed Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), speaks with a village elder in Himbangan Village, Saint Bernard Municipality, Leyte Island, Philippines (PHL), about the placement order of US military vehicles so that they can drive through Himbangan in order to assist with the rescue and recovery effort to find survivors after a landslide devastated Guinsahugon Village, Saint Bernard Municipality, Leyte Island, Philippines (PHL). The USS HARPERS FERRY is visiting the Philippines on a regularly schedule Western Pacific (WESTPAC) Spring Patrol and has been tasked to provide humanitarian assistance to the landslide victims. Base: Saint Bernard State: Leyte Country: Philippines (PHL)
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070315-M-0460B-017. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Ferris State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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DA-ST-88-08142. Subject Operation/Series: MEDRETE Base: Palmerola Air Base Country: Honduras (HND)
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051212-A-1211S-025. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Camp Loyalty State: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: A
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Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, LA, September 19, 2005 -- FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force members check the paws of rescue dogs after a search for residents impacted by Hurricane Katrina. Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA
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120128-N-BS846-073SINGAPORE (Jan. 28, 2012) Seaman Recruit Michael Schultz interacts with a resident at the Singapore Cheshire Home Day Care Centre as part of a community service project in Singapore. John C. Stennis is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations while on a seven month deployment.
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040219-M-7403H-003. Complete Scene Caption: US Marine Corps (USMC) Corporal (CPL) Angela Cherry (right), Intelligence Analyst, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron Three Six Nine (HMLA-369), attached to Marine Aircraft Group Three Six (MAG-36), 1ST Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), Marine Corps Base (MCB) Camp Pendleton, California (CA), shows three local Filipino children the pictures that she took of them during a community outreach visit to the Angeles Bahay Bata Center, located just outside of Clark Air Base (AB), Luzon Island, Philippines (PHL). CPL Cherry is in the Philippines participating in Exercise BALIKATAN 2004, a regularly scheduled joint interoperability exercise designed to improve military readiness and professionalism between US and Philippine armed forces. Base: Clark Air Base State: Luzon Country: Philippines (PHL)
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040403-M-8683D-004. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Bamian University Country: Afghanistan (AFG)
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Members of the Ban Prakaet village pose for a photo before making lunch to celebrate a new school room being built by the Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, Royal Thai Marines with the Royal Thai Marine Corps Construction Company of Combat Engineers and Members of the Singapore Army with the 30th Combat Engineer Brigade at the Ban Prakaet School at Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 18, 2024. Marines of MWSS-171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. Marine Corps
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Iraqi school girls sing a song in Arabic to thank the Iraqi and American forces for their graciously during a distribution drive at the Al Kays & Al Yasameen Elementary School, one of two schools to receive goods, Feb. 19 in the New Baghdad district of eastern Baghdad. Lt. Col. Louis Zeisman, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Multi-National Division Baghdad, wanted to show the families back home at the unit's home station in Fort Bragg, N.C., that the gifts were appericated by the children.
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U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Matthew Scofield (left), 19, from Syracuse, N.Y., and Jarrett Hatley, 21, from Millingport, N.C., a squad automatic weapon gunner and an improvised explosive device detection dog handler with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, rest next to Hatley's dog Blue after clearing compounds with Afghan National Army soldiers during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) here, Jan. 4. Over the past five years, coalition forces have operated with Afghan National Security Forces to defeat the insurgency in the central Helmand River valley. Driven from the green zones, or populated areas, of districts in southern Helmand, enemy fighters have sought refuge in bed-down locations west of the Helmand River. This area on the outskirts of Garmsir district has been, until now, nearly untouched by the partnered forces and the Afghan government. During the operation, Jan. 4-8, Afghan forces and Marines with 3/3 cleared the area of insurgent activity, wea
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020925-M-1103B-002. Base: Chittagong Country: Bangladesh (BGD) Scene Major Command Shown: VMGR-152
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Guard of the sultan of Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia.
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Jerry, a security guard, poses for a photo while keeping members of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) safe during an investigation mission at Ulingan, Bogia District, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, Sept. 28, 2022. The investigation team visited multiple areas across the coastal Madang Province in hopes of recovering missing U.S. service members lost during World War II. DPAAs mission is to achieve the fullest possible accounting for missing and unaccounted-for U.S. personnel to their families and our nation.
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030430-M-5882-038. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Hillah Country: Iraq (IRQ)
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Indonesian National Armed Forces service member conducts medical training as part of exercise Super Garuda Shield 2023, 5th Marine Training Center Puslatpur, Indonesia, Sept. 1, 2023. Super Garuda Shield 2023 is an annual exercise that has significantly grown in scope and size since 2009. SGS2023 is the second consecutive time this exercise has grown into a combined and joint event, highlighting the 7 participating and 12 observing nations' commitment to partnership and a free and open Indo-Pacific.
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050203-F-6178C-002. Base: Karshi-Khanabad Air Base Country: Uzbekistan (UZB)
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