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.

Unwanted phones recreated as interactive birds, part of “Escape III” by Anthony Goh and Neil Mendoza seen on display at the Barbican's Digital Revolution exhibition on July 2, 2014 in London, England. The exhibition brings together artists, designers, film makers, musicians and architects who push the boundaries of creativity that digitial technology can offer, and runs from July 3 until September 14, 2014. (Photo by Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images for Barbican Art Gallery)

Transgender Kendra Ferrari, 21, performs during Miss Night Queen beauty contest in Guatemala City, Friday, June 15, 2012. Ferrari won the pageant and will represent the transgender community for one year. (Photo by Rodrigo Abd/AP Photo)

An Israeli soldier of the Caracal battalion smiles during a 23-kilometer march marking the end of their training in Israel's Negev desert, near Kibbutz Sde Boker February 14, 2013. The “Caracal” battalion, two-thirds of whose members are women, was established in 2004 with the purpose of incorporating female soldiers in combat units. The main mission of Caracal is routine patrols on Israel's border with Egypt to intercept infiltrators and smuggling from the Sinai desert. (Photo by Darren Whiteside/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)

Tourists visit an art installation of colorful umbrellas on November 10, 2022 in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

A Japan fan before their FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group E match between Japan and Costa Rica at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Issei Kato/Reuters)

An alligator devours a fish carcass he stole from a raven in Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida on November 24, 2022. The Big Cypress Swamp is a freshwater swampland located near the Everglades National Park. (Photo by Ronen Tivony/SOPA Images/Rex Features/Shutterstock)