A woman feeds doves in Mazar-i-Sharif (Afghanistan), 1991. Steve McCurry/Magnum Photo
Steve McCurry, a legendary photographer, has been to Afghanistan more than 30 time.
McCurry said to Insider that he was "heartbroken" by the events in the country over recent weeks.
He is hopeful of returning to Afghanistan soon and believes Afghans have the strength to continue forward.
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Steve McCurry witnessed Afghanistan in war and peace over the course of nearly four decades.
In 1979, the Soviet-Afghan war was captured by the legendary American photographer.
He accompanied Mujahideen fighters to remote parts of Afghanistan, photographed Afghans trying to rebuild their lives and documented all the hardships that were suffered by those who had been affected by war.
In 2002, Afghan war refugees returning to Kabul sought work. Steve McCurry/Magnum Photo
McCurry was heartbroken when the Taliban took Kabul under their control last month. This triggered chaotic evacuations and suicide bombings.
McCurry, who lives in Pennsylvania, told Insider that it was "really devastating" to see the current situation.
"My experience in Afghanistan has been very positive. People are friendly, helpful, and very funny. But things went horribly wrong.
Hindu Kush Mountains, Afghanistan in 1984. Steve McCurry/Magnum Photo
McCurry last visited Afghanistan in 2016. McCurry captured a peaceful life in Afghanistan at the time. Unaccompanied women walking on the streets, schoolgirls in their classrooms, and a generation that has only heard tales of Taliban rule.
People had dreams and hopes. They aspired to achieve something. He said that there was a common aspiration in almost every country around the globe.
"But now it has become very dark for many people. He said that their hopes of achieving whatever they wanted were dashed.
March 2016, Kabul, Afghanistan Steve McCurry/Magnum Photo
McCurry is originally from Pennsylvania and has been a photographer since 1979. McCurry has taken portraits of politicians and celebrities, and covered conflicts such as the Gulf War or the Afghan Civil War.
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His claim to fame was in 1984, when he snapped a photo of Sharabat Gula (12 years old), also known as the "Afghan girl" in a refugee camp.
Afghan Girl. Steve McCurry/Magnum Photo
This photo appeared on National Geographic's front cover multiple times, and it quickly became one of the most famous images of all time. It is, however, his favourite.
He said, "It was very popular at the time it came out." It became more popular over time. It's a beautiful picture, and it's better not to be forgotten for any of them."
McCurry and National Geographic's team tracked Gula down in 2002, as part of a documentary.
Kunduz, Afghanistan in 2003. Steve McCurry/Magnum Photo
Gula was again in the news after she was arrested by Pakistani police for allegedly falsifying an identity document. One year later, Gula was given a Kabul house and $700 per month by the Afghan government.
McCurry doesn't know where she is right now.
"Afghanistan is a fascinating and important story that I keep returning to. It's human. I believe it has enormous human, political, geopolitical, and human parts.
Mujahadeen fighters pose in a group portrait, Afghanistan 1980. Steve McCurry/Magnum Photo
McCurry remains optimistic. McCurry says he plans to return within the next few decades and believes Afghans "will pull through this."
"They are some of the most resilient people that I know. They are very dignified. He said that he believed the majority of them would, as you know, gain the strength to continue."
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