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Taliban Graffiti
During and embed with the First Battalion, Eighth Marines, combat photographer Finbarr O'Reilly came across graffiti from both sides of the conflict on a wall of a compound in southern Afghanistan's Helmand province while on assignment for Reuters in early November.

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Ya Allah
Musa Qala is an important battleground in the war against the Taliban and the narcotics industry and the town is one of the main centers for Taliban resistance to NATO and ISAF forces in Afghanistan. The Taliban actually over-ran the district center and raised their white flag over the compound in February, 2007.

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American Graffiti
The Taliban held the town until the Battle of Musa Qala, during which there was heavy fighting until they withdrew on December 10, 2007. The Taliban graffiti dates from that time. Deployments of both American and British troops have since added their artwork to the same walls.

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American Graffiti
The Taliban held the town until the Battle of Musa Qala, during which there was heavy fighting until they withdrew on December 10, 2007. The Taliban graffiti dates from that time. Deployments of both American and British troops have since added their artwork to the same walls.

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The Few The Proud
"The striking thing to me is the difference in the quality of the work - almost naive and child-like scribbles from the Taliban and more finely tuned artwork from a skilled artist from the Marines,"

British Graffiti
The work of the British deployment is less complex. One piece simply counts enemy KIA (killed in action) in the most basic form.

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Coronation Street
Another piece reflects the comforts back home in its depiction of a television playing the long-running soap opera Coronation Street.

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Layers
Most recently the longstanding artwork has been augmented and sometimes layered with chalk graffiti by the U.S. Female Engagement Team (FET) of the First Battalion, Eighth Marines who are now based at Musa Qala.

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Female Graffiti
U.S. Marines have been in Musa Qala since March, when they took over from British troops. Security has improved in the district center but outside it is still a Taliban stronghold. The Taliban graffiti on the compound walls serves as a reminder of the constant threat.

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Miss You Guys
The women's pastel artwork includes more positive childhood motifs: flowers, butterflies, rainbows and hearts. "Miss You Guys" however also reflects the melancholy of being far from home.

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Afghan Countdown
"The district center and the government they have in place now is ripe for turning the corner," U.S. Marines Major Justin Ansel said recently "We are at a tipping point, but it's a very fragile tipping point."