A Free Syrian Army fighter walks past a flag of al-Furqan brigade as a rifle hangs from a branch in the orchards of Kafar Zita in Hama countryside January 22, 2015. (Photo by Mohamad Bayoush/Reuters)

Star Wars fan Mike Deguzman practices with a toy lightsaber after purchasing some new toys that went on sale at midnight in advance of the film “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in Times Square in the Manhattan borough of New York, September 4, 2015. (Photo by Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

A U.S. Marine kneels beside a Multi-Utility Tactical Transport ( MUTT) during a patrol as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 an exercise held at Camp Pendleton, California United States, July 13, 2016. (Photo by Mike Blake/Reuters)

A woman cries after her husband was shot dead by unidentified gunmen riding motorcycles in Manila, Philippines late October 10, 2016. According to police reports, around 2,300 people have been killed in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's war against illegal drugs. The figure was revised by the police from an original tally of around 3,600 deaths. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

Could you ever have guessed that so many superheroes would meet together in one photoshoot? This scenario becomes possible thanks to the project of Sasha Goldberger. He was able to accomplish this by transporting modern superheroes into Elizabethan era. Some of the superheroes, such as the Cat Woman and Wonder Woman, look very natural in their new old-fashioned outfits. On the other hand, Ironman and Hulk look very peculiar in their newly acquired outfits. However, such innovative approach is very popular nowadays. People are fed up with dull and uninteresting ideas, which make them grab onto anything peculiar such as this project. (Photo by Sacha Goldberger)

“The Spanish Civil War (The Crusade among Nationalists, Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans) was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939. An estimated total of 500,000 people lost their lives as a consequence of the War”. – Wikipedia

Photo: Women were among the Republican combatants during the Spanish Civil War. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images). 1936

A Republican farmer defending a farm on the outskirts of Irun against Nationalist forces during the Spanish Civil War, 6th September 1936. A comrade lies dead by his side. (Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

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.