Cosplayers dressed as Star Wars characters Chewbacca (R) and Darth Vader talk at a Star Wars Day fan event in Tokyo May 4, 2015. Star Wars fans celebrate May 4 as Star Wars Day, a pun that comes from an iconic quote in the movie, “May the Force be with you”. (Photo by Toru Hanai/Reuters)

A humane society have drafted in Star Wars characters to help find adoptable animals new homes. The Ottawa Humane Society in Ontario, Canada, used the recognisable cosplay figures to adorably interact with the likes of dogs, cats and guinea pigs. Photographed by Rohit Saxena, the series featured a stormtrooper, a Tusken Raider and Garindan. Those photographed were members of the 501st Capital City Garrison, a Star Wars costuming group in Eastern Ontario. Here: a Tusken Raider with a cat. (Photo by Rohit Saxena/Caters News)

Sgt. William Olas Bee, a U.S. Marine from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, has a close call after Taliban fighters opened fire near Garmsir in Helmand Province of Afghanistan, May 18, 2008. (Photo by Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)

Supporters of Filipino boxer and Senatorial candidate Manny Pacquiao, wait for election souvenirs thrown by Pacquiao during election campaigning in Malabon Metro Manila in the Philippines May 6, 2016. Boxing star Manny Pacquiao pressed on with his campaign for a seat in the Philippine Senate despite a reported militant plot to kidnap him. (Photo by Erik De Castro/Reuters)

Philippine Marines from the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) storm the beach to simulate an “extraction” of a kidnapped victim as they kick off a five-day amphibious military exercise at the Philippine Marines training center in Ternate, Cavite province, about 50 miles (80kms) south of Manila, Philippines Thursday, September 24, 2015. The naval exercise dubbed PAGSISIKAP 2015 is aimed at enhancing capability of their fleet and forces as well as to strengthen interoperability of the Marines. (Photo by Bullit Marquez/AP Photo)

Star Wars collector James Burns, 44, poses for a photograph with some of his collection in London December 2, 2015. He said “I've met so many wonderful people, all over the world. It's a wonderful community of likeminded people with an interest in Star Wars. There's nothing else like it”. (Photo by Paul Hackett/Reuters)

A Pasola rider reacts after throwing his spear during the Pasola war festival at Ratenggaro village on March 22, 2014 in Sumba Island, Indonesia. The Pasola Festival is an important annual event to welcome the new harvest season, which coincides with the arrival of “Nyale” sea worms during February or March each year. Pasola, an ancient ritual fighting game, involves two teams of men on horseback charging towards each other while trying to hit their rivals with “pasol” javelins and avoid being hit themselves. (Photo by Ulet Ifansasti/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.