Afghans shout anti-U.S. slogans as they burn tires and block a highway during a protest in reaction to a small American church's plan to burn copies of the Quran, at Jalalabad, east of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, September 10, 2010. Religious and political leaders across the Muslim world welcomed a decision by the church to suspend its plans to torch copies of their holy book but some said Friday the damage has already been done. (Photo by Rahmat Gul/AP Photo)

Clearing skies await a tripod-toting photographer looking for a spot to capture the early-morning light at Portland Head Light, Thursday, January 17, 2013, in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. (Photo by Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo)

Runners gather at the start line for the annual “Santa Speedo Run”, a charity race through the streets of the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston. (Photo by Gretchen Ertl/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.

Tyra Banks prepares to pose as she arrives at the iHeartRadio MuchMusic Video Awards (MMVA) in Toronto, Canada, August 26, 2018. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Reuters)

A motorcyclist carries three young woman as he performs a wheelie on his motorbike during an exhibition in the Chapellin neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, June 12, 2022. (Photo by Matias Delacroix/AP Photo)

American singer-songwriter Madonna nearly bares it all while partying after the Fashion Awards with English singer Dua Lipa and photographer Mert Alas on November 29, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Instagram)