Joao Silva, a New York Times photographer, was severely wounded Saturday when he stepped on a mine while on patrol with American soldiers in southern Afghanistan. Mr. Silva, 44, was wounded in his legs while moving through an area near the town of Arghandab. He was evacuated from the scene and taken to Kandahar Air Field, the American and NATO base. Three American soldiers sustained concussions (this post had previously stated that none had been injured).

Oct 27 2:26 a.m. | Updated

In the next few days Mr. Silva will be moved to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, Bill Keller, the executive editor of The Times, told the staff in an e-mail memorandum. Mr. Silva was said to be “in good spirits following surgery at a military hospital in Germany, where he had been airlifted on Sunday”, and his wife was at his side and would be accompanying him to the U.S.

Our colleagues on the Times’s Lens blog have given more details of Mr. Silva’s condition, in this post: ‘I’m Good, Baby,’ Joao Silva Says. Messages of support for Mr. Silva can be submitted here, or at the end of the Lens post “Widespread Impact From an Afghan Mine.” A Web site, StoryTaxi, has been set up to collect donations from anyone who wants to offer support to Mr. Silva and his family.

In his emailed update Mr. Keller said: “The Times itself is committed to doing as much as it can to support Joao and his family throughout this ordeal, including making certain he receives the most comprehensive care and treatment possible. With the help of our colleagues in the Washington bureau, The Times worked closely with Army officials to ensure he would be treated by specialists at Walter Reed.”

Mr. Silva and Times correspondent Carlotta Gall were embedded with soldiers from the Fourth Infantry Division, when the mine exploded directly beneath him, resulting in severe injuries to both of his legs as well as other wounds.

Oct. 23 1:43 a.m. | Updated

Bill Keller, executive editor of The Times, issued a memorandum to staff in which he gave more details of the incident, and of Mr. Silva’s characteristically professional response to his injuries.

“As you may have read on our website, Joao Silva, one of the finest war photographers on earth, was seriously injured today when he stepped on a mine while embedded with the military offensive in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. Carlotta Gall, who was with him on the patrol, said the medics got to him in seconds, applied tourniquets and morphine and stretchered him to a helicopter. Those of you who know Joao will not be surprised to learn that throughout this ordeal he continued to shoot pictures,” Mr. Keller said in the memorandum.

“Joao suffered serious injuries to both of his legs along with other wounds, but he is extraordinarily strong and indomitable of spirit.

“After surgery at the military hospital in Kandahar, Joao was flown Saturday night to Bagram Air Base, near Kabul, to have his wounds cleaned and be checked out before transport to a military hospital in Germany. He seems to have gotten excellent care — sadly, the military has become extremely proficient in handling this kind of injury.” he continued.

Joao is a regular and enthusiastic contributor to At War. His posts can be read here, he took part in a discussion, Talking Pictures, about his work in Iraq and in Delete! Delete! Delete! (Undelete) there is an example of his customarily robust attitude to obstacles put in his way when trying to do his job.

The Times’s Lens blog has run a slideshow of Mr. Silva’s photographs and warm words from colleagues at Widespread Impact From an Afghan Mine

In his memorandum Mr. Keller described an “outpouring of sympathy and support, from Times colleagues of course, but also from competitors and admirers around the world” and signed off with the observation: “Since I first watched him work in South Africa in the mid-’90’s, I’ve thought of Joao as an artist of conflict. He will be missed until — as I have no doubt he will — he returns to action, cameras blazing.”

Full article by Dexter Filkins: Times Photographer Wounded in Afghanistan