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.

One of the highlights on the Audi stand is the bicycle technology concept known as the Audi e-bike Wörthersee – a sport bike that does not fit into any of the usual categories. It is neither a pedelec nor a conventional bike, but is best described as a high-end pedelec made by Audi for sport, fun and tricks. The Audi e-bike Wörthersee combines the Audi brand’s principal competences – design, ultra, connect and e-tron – and explores the limits of what is technically feasible in terms of design, lightweight construction, networking and electric mobility.

The Florida Keys are famous for their diving, but they are less well known for another quirky attraction: the mailboxes residents use to decorate their driveways. From a fiberglass manatee in lipstick to a small white church, Reuters photographer Wolfgang Rattay documented this unusual aspect of local culture as he drove along the Ocean Highway that connects the islands. Photo: A mailbox in the shape of a fire truck is seen along the highway US-1 in the Lower Keys near Marathon in Florida, July 11, 2014. (Photo by Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters)

This artwork created using the end of a drill is the work of Swiss photographer Fabian Oefner who captures the flight of paint in just one 40,000th of a second. His latest Black Hole series celebrates the physics of centripetal force and the effects it has on simple paint and a an ordinary drill with a metal rod connected on the end. The incredible result of Fabians work comes out looking like a picture taken on the Hubble Telescope of some cosmic event. (Photo by Fabian Oefner/Caters News)

Participant rides a carousel at the women's-only Petrolettes motorcycle festival on July 21, 2018 in Milmersdorf, near Berlin in Germany. Around 300 bike women from across Europe come together for the third edition of the festival. Women connect their passion for high speed motorbikes with music, movies, races, yoga etc. Festival that goes for three days was initiated by a group of female motorbike riders called The Curves. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Daniel J. Wabsey, a 58-year-old war veteran, sits outside his tent at Camp Hope in Las Cruces, New Mexico October 6, 2015. “I've been traveling for 35 or 38 years. Getting inside would take a while to get used to. I just want to be able to eat, sleep and be safe. We all get along and understand in Camp Hope. We've all been there. With common sense you can survive out here”, Wabsey said. Camp Hope describe themselves as an “alternative transitional living project for the homeless”. Around 50 people live at the camp. (Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Google's vice president Alan Eustace looks out of his spacesuit into the stratosphere prior to a record-breaking skydive over New Mexico, in this still image taken from video October 24, 2014, a handout courtesy of the Paragon Space Development Corporation. Eustace was lifted up 135,890 ft (41,420 metres) by an enormous balloon while wearing a specially designed pressurized space suit, the Paragon Space Development Corporation said. Eustace remained in a free fall for approximately 4.5 minutes before landing safely nearly 70 miles (43.4 kms) from his launch point, setting a world record for the highest skydive and breaking the sound barrier in the process. Eustace landed safely on the ground just 15 minutes after he was lifted into the air. (Photo by Reuters/Paragon Space Development Corporation)

Lilith interacts with spectators in the streets of Toulouse. French street show creator Francois Delaroziere, director of the art company “La Machine”, creates a show in the streets of Toulouse. The new show displays giant characters: Asterion, the Minotaur; Lilith, the scorpion woman; and Ariane, the spider woman. Lilith is fond of the Minotaur and wants to take Asterion to hell with her. Ariane protects Asterion and tries everything to keep Asterion safe. The show is displayed over three days and is attended by dozens of people. During the three days, the giant characters appear in the streets of Toulouse. (Photo by Alain Pitton/NurPhoto)