Schoolchildren from local schools take part in the children's races prior to the annual Pancake race in Olney, Buckinghamshire, England, Tuesday, February 25, 2020. Every year women clad in aprons and head scarves from Olney and the city of Liberal, in Kansas, USA, run their respective legs of the race with pancakes in their pans. According to legend, the Olney race started in 1445 when a harried housewife arrived at church on Shrove Tuesday still clutching her frying pan with a pancake in it. (Photo by Alastair Grant/AP Photo)

A Saudi trader wears a mask as he monitors stock information at the Saudi stock market in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on August 25, 2020. (Photo by Ahmed Yosri/Reuters)

Breitling Wingwalkers aircrafts perform during an aerobatic display at an air show in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China, September 25, 201. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)

New York-based visual artist and filmmaker Rä di Martino has taken a series of eerie and beautiful photos that capture scenes of abandoned Hollywood film sets. Martino spent over a year traveling throughout the desert towns of Morocco and Tunisia hunting down the old Star Wars sets, exploring these massive structures that stand almost like ancient ruins. “No More Stars” showcases the backdrop of Luke Skywalker's home on the fictional desert planet Tatooine. (Photo by Rä di Martino)

Fascist youth, both boys and girls, in the rebel uniforms in Irun after the city had been captured by the rebels. (Photo by Maeers/Fox Photos/Getty Images). 13th November 1936

The original costumes for Star Wars character Darth Vader stand on display at “Star Wars: The Exhibition” at County hall on May 04, 2007 in London, England. (Photo by MJ Kim/Getty Images)

The camera rolls as actors dressed as historical Chinese soldiers act as though they have been hit by artillery, during filming of “The Last Prince” television series on location near Hengdian World Studios near Hengdian July 24, 2015. Hundreds of well-trained actors and other professionals are available at the Hengdian World Studios. The well-organised team coordinate complicated battle scenes to satisfy the huge appetite for productions about the war against Japan. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

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.