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.

This photo provided by Red Antler Processing shows the alligator sport hunting team made up of, from left, Tanner White, tag-holder Donald Woods, Will Thomas and Joey Clark as they hoist, with the help of a forklift, the longest alligator officially harvested in Mississippi, Saturday, August 26, 2023, at Red Antler Processing in Yazoo City, Miss. The male alligator weighed 802.5 pounds and measured 14 feet, 3 inches long, and its length broke the state record as the longest alligator ever caught, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. (Phoot by Shane Smith/Red Antler Processing via AP Photo)

A mermaid poses under water during a shoot with photographer Brett Stanley during MerMagic Con at the Freedom Aquatic Center in Manassas, Virginia on August 7, 2021. MerMagic Con is advertised as the largest Mermaid convention in the world. Some parts of the convention are based on modeling and looks like the Miss Mermaid USA Pageant. The Society of Fat Mermaids looks to bring together plus size people and promote the idea that anyone can become a mermaid. Becoming a mermaid is not cheap, most merfolk spend thousands of dollars on their tail and outfit. Most tails are custom made out of silicone and others are foam and fabric. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso/AFP Photo)

A peformance artist attends an election rally for Cameroon presidential candidate for the opposition Univers party, Cabral Libii in Yaounde, Cameroon 06 October 2018. Africa's oldest president Paul Biya who has been in power since 1982 is up against eight candidates when voters go to the polls 07 October 2018. 6.9 million registered voters will head to the polls but marginalised anglophone separatists in the North West and South West of the country threaten to disrupt the elections. (Photo by Nic Bothma/EPA/EFE)

A so-called “Supermoon” dominates the sky while traffic rolls in the streets in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, 03 December 2017. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) a series of three “Supermoons” – dubbed the “Supermoon trilogy” – will appear in the sky on 03 December 2017, on 01 January 2018 and and 31 January 2018. A “Supermoon” commonly is a full moon at its closest distance to the earth with the moon appearing larger than usual. (Photo by Hein Htet/EPA/EFE)

To mark the occasion of International Women' s Day on March 8, 2018 AFP presents a series of photos depicting women performing roles or working in professions more traditionally held by men. Here: Professional wrestler Cristal (Crystal) poses for a photograph in her trainig place on February 09, 2018 in Mexico city, Mexico. (Photo by Omar Torres/AFP Photo)

The Rio dry cargo ship that has ran aground during a storm in December 2018 in Kabardinka, Krasnodar Territory, Russia on August 11, 2020. The vessel has become a tourist attraction of the region. (Photo by Alexander Ryumin/TASS)

Sumo wrestlers perform a show fight during an annual sumo tournament dedicated to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, Japan on April 16, 2018. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Reuters)