Bangladeshi Muslim devotees arrive in an over-crowded train to attend the final day of an Islamic congregations' first phase in Tongi, 20 kilometers (13 miles) north of Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, January 10, 2016. The second phase of the annual event, one of the world's largest congregations of Muslims is scheduled to begin Friday. (Photo by A.M. Ahad/AP Photo)

A man grimaces walking by the “Lettuce Ladies”, a group of PETA activists, during an event promoting a vegan lifestyle, downtown Bucharest, Romania, Monday, August 14, 2017. Two PETA vegan ambassadors distributed vegan food to passers by in the Romanian capital, the latest stop in a tour including the United States, Russia and Turkey aimed at promoting a vegan lifestyle. The sign reads in Romanian “start fresh: become vegan”. (Photo by Andreea Alexandru/AP Photo)

A Somali Armed Forces member carries her ammunition during fighting between the military and police backed by intelligence forces in the Dayniile district of Mogadishu, Somalia September 16, 2017. (Photo by Feisal Omar/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.

A rescued malnourished sea lion is manually fed a fish at Sea World in San Diego, California March 17, 2015. Animal rescue centers in California are being inundated with stranded, starving sea lion pups, raising the possibility that the facilities could soon be overwhelmed, the federal agency coordinating the rescue said. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist Miley Cyrus, L, takes a selfie while doing her signature tongue-out pose with GMU students Samaria Moss, 18, C, of Spottsylvania, VA, Jaide Tarwid, 18, from Wisconsin, and Zimuzo Okala, 19, of Chesapeake, VA, (blocked) as Cyrus makes a campaign visit for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine in Northern Virginia at George Mason University on Saturday, October 22, 2016 in Fairfax, VA. (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) activists wear crocodile masks during a demonstration against the use of crocodile skins ahead of Milan's Fashion Week, in Milan's Duomo Square, Italy, Tuesday, February 21, 2017. Milan Fashion Week opens Wednesday. (Photo by Antonio Calanni/AP Photo)

A woman carries her child as she watches Mount Sinabung volcano spewing thick volcanic ash, as seen from Karo on July 21, 2017. Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years, after another period of inactivity it erupted once more in 2013, and has remained highly active since. (Photo by Gatha Ginting/AFP Photo)