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.

The cast of “Transparent” pose in various positions as they arrive at The HBO Golden Globe After Party in Beverly Hills, California January 10, 2016. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Claire McGuire (C) smiles after winning the women's snowboard division of the Bikini & Board Shorts Downhill at Crystal Mountain, a ski resort near Enumclaw, Washington April 19, 2014. Skiers and snowboarders competed for a chance to win one of four season's passes. (Photo by David Ryder/Reuters)

Google has built its first self-driving car prototypes and hopes to test hundreds more models this summer. If all goes well, the company is planning a pilot program in California over the next few years.

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Participants wearing East Asian traditional costumes take photos during the 88th annual Hollywood Christmas Parade in Hollywood, Californi​a, USA, 01 December 2019. (Photo by Christian Monterrosa/EPA/EFE)

Lulu, her Playa name, falls into a foam pit as approximately 70,000 people from all over the world gather for the 30th annual Burning Man arts and music festival in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, U.S. September 1, 2016. (Photo by Jim Urquhart/Reuters)

Pilgrims lift up their dresses as they cross the Quema river during the annual El Rocio pilgrimage in Villamanrique, near Sevilla on June 1, 2017. El Rocio pilgrimage is the largest in Spain with hundreds of thousands of devotees wearing traditional outfits converging in a burst of colour as they make their way on horseback and decorated carriages across the Andalusian countryside. (Photo by Cristina Quicler/AFP Photo)