On Oct. 7, 2001, the United States launched an assault on Afghanistan in retaliation for the Sept. 11 attacks. Bombs from the air and missiles from the sea hit Osama bin Laden’s adopted nation and his Taliban supporters. In the nine years that followed, Times photographers Carolyn Cole, Don Bartletti, Irfan Khan, Wally Skalij and Rick Loomis were on the ground covering the conflict in Afghanistan and Pakistan. These are a selection of the images they shot. In addition, read about Loomis’ most recent embed with troops in Kandahar here.