Irina, worker of a petrol station, now member of reconnaissance team of pro-Russian rebels' in the town of Makievka, eastern Ukraine, October 6, 2014. Like the men in the conflict, the women come from all walks of life. Some women come to serve with their husbands and boyfriends, others are single. Female fighters on both sides said the men in their units treat them as equals, though sometimes showing more leniency. They have little respect for men who have not taken up arms. On both sides the fighters expect a long conflict, despite the fragile ceasefire now in place. (Photo by Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)

President Woodrow Wilson speaks on telephone. Woodrow Wilson was the 28th U.S. President serving from 1913 – 1921. (Photo by Corbis)

A tourist jumps inside an upside-down house at Fengjing Ancient Town, Jinshan District, south of Shanghai, May 1, 2014. The upside-down house was built as a tourist attraction using everyday household items and furniture. (Photo by Aly Song/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.

Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) (R) stands in front of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) as they arrive for U.S. President George W. Bush's annual State of the Union speech to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington in this January 23, 2007 file photo. Hillary Clinton announced her second run for the presidency on April 12, 2015 starting her campaign as the Democrats' best hope of fending off a crowded field of lesser-known Republican rivals and retaining the White House. (Photo by Larry Downing/Reuters)

A layer of morning mist still covers the fields as the sun rises into the morning sky over Hohenfelden, Thuringia state, Germany, early 07 September 2016. Meteorologists predict the weather to become warm and sunny in the region with temperatures reaching around 256 degrees Celsius. (Photo by Martin Schutt/EPA)

A woman cries after her husband was shot dead by unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles in Manila, Philippines late October 10, 2016. According to police reports, around 2,300 people have been killed in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war against illegal drugs. The figure was revised by the police from an original tally of around 3,600 deaths. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Singers “Elle & The Pocket Belles” attend day 3 “Ladies Day” of the Qatar Goodwood Festival on August 3, 2017 in Chichester, England. (Photo by David Hartley/PA Wire)