A girl in a military uniform poses for a photo after the see-off ceremony before the launch in Jiuquan, Gansu province, China, 25 April 2024. China's Shenzhou-18 manned spaceflight mission with three astronauts is the third manned spaceflight mission of China Space Station's development phase. The mission will last for about six months and the crew will carry out tasks such as installation, commissioning, maintenance, repair, and experiments in space. (Photo by Wu Hao/EPA/EFE)

A street performer walks past an image of a Russian serviceman reading “The Motherland we defend” at a street exhibition of military photos in St. Petersburg, Russia, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. A campaign to replenish Russian troops in Ukraine with more soldiers appears to be underway again, with makeshift recruitment centers popping up in cities and towns, and state institutions posting ads promising cash bonuses and benefits to entice men to sign contracts enabling them to be sent into the battlefield. (Photo by AP Photo/Stringer)

Throughout the course of the long war in Afghanistan, Coalition troops have relied on thousands of military working dogs to help keep them safe, and make their jobs easier. The dogs are trained to detect explosives, to find illegal drugs, to search for missing comrades, or target enemy combatants. Not only are they active on the front lines, but behind the lines they serve as therapy dogs, service dogs, and loyal companions. They also share the same risks as the ground troops, suffering injuries and sometimes death on the battlefields. Gathered here are images of these dogs and their handlers in Afghanistan and back home, from over the past several years, part of the ongoing series here on Afghanistan.

Jordanian soldiers pose after the opening ceremony of eighth annual Warrior Competition at the King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center (KASOTC) in Amman, Jordan, May 2, 2016. Twenty Seven Teams from Eleven countries are participating in a competition to test their military skills. (Photo by Muhammad Hamed/Reuters)

If you ever wanted to meet a live Pikachu, you might have a hard time finding one. However, there is a creature on this Earth that kind of looks like one. That creature’s name is Thecacera pacifica and it is a species of a sea slug. These little critters can be found in the Indian Ocean from African coast to Indonesia and Vanuatu. Their vibrant orange and blue colors look gorgeous, making it look like some sort of anemone. Also, as you might have guessed from the striking colors of the sea slug, just like most of anemones, this creature is very toxic. Thus, keeping it as a pet isn’t an option.

Artist Ted Harrison makes final adjustments to his artwork created with poppies on the floor of St. Paul's Cathedral on November 10, 2011 in London, England. Mr. Harrison created the work on a 30 foot disc under the main dome of the cathedral with the intention of drawing attention to the 250,000 children worldwide currently under military orders. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

A security exercise takes place along the River Thames on January 19, 2012 in London, England. The exercise including around 44 police officers, 94 military personnel, 15 boats and a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter was conducted by both the Metropolitan Police and the Royal Marines and designed to test their joint capability ahead of the 2012 London Olympic Games. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)