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.

Yang Juan, an employee at Goopal Group, takes a nap in her seat after lunch, in Beijing, China, April 21, 2016. Office workers sleeping on the job is a common sight in China, where a surplus of cheap labour can lead to downtime at work. But in China's technology sector, where business is growing faster than many start-up firms can hire new staff, workers burn the midnight oil to meet deadlines and compete with their rivals. Some companies provide sleeping areas and beds for workers to rest during late nights. (Photo by Jason Lee/Reuters)

A Flemish demonstrator, one of thousands who gathered for a march through Brussels to protest against what the Flemings call their subjucation by the French-speaking Walloons, draws back as he is jeered by a crowd of Walloons on the pavement in a Brussels Street, on October 14, 1962. The Flemish demonstrators clashed with Walloon counter demonstrators as riot police sought to maintain order. The Flemings claim that although they form 60% of the population in Belgium, they are inadequately represented in the government, and they say, the Walloons get most of the top jobs in the armed forces and the diplomatic service. (Photo by AP Photo)

You have to agree, that most of the designs of the license plates in the United States are pretty boring and bland. In most cases, a three-year-old could have done a better job. This is the reason why Jonathan Lawrence has decided to create a project of redesigning the license plates of all 50 states. His designs feature fresh vibrant colors, as well as clean and readable design. These are the license plates you’d want to use if you have anything that is better than a rundown, old pickup truck (no offence to owners of rundown, old pickup trucks). Some of his designs are humorous, some are strict and official; however, all of them look better than the license plates that are in circulation today. (Photo by Jonathan Lawrence)

Yakutsk, a remote city in Eastern Siberia along the Lena River, is the coldest city in the world. Located 1840 km away from Irkoustk and 5000 km away from Moscow, this city founded in 1632 by the Cossacks imposes upon its inhabitants an extreme way of life. And yet, despite particularly harsh conditions, Yakutsk boasts a population of 270,000, or a quarter of the entire population of Siberia. No other place on the planet experiences the temperature extreme found here: in winter, the temperatures regularly fall to minus 40° (the coldest temperature recorded was –64°C) and in summer often reaches temperatures above 30°C. Photo: January 2013. A scene in Yakutsk, Siberia, the coldest city in the world. (Photo by Steeve Iuncker/Agence VU)

An aerial view shows the Amazon rainforest at the Bom Futuro National Forest near Rio Pardo in Porto Velho, Rondonia State, Brazil, September 3, 2015. The town of Rio Pardo, a settlement of about 4,000 people in the Amazon rainforest, rises where only jungle stood less than a quarter of a century ago. Loggers first cleared the forest followed by ranchers and farmers, then small merchants and prospectors. Brazil's government has stated a goal of eliminating illegal deforestation, but enforcing the law in remote corners like Rio Pardo is far from easy. (Photo by Nacho Doce/Reuters)

This handout picture taken by Pleiades satellite and released on September 27, 2013 shows a small island of mud and rock created by the huge earthquake that hit southwest Pakistan has fascinated locals but experts – who found methane gas rising from it – say it is unlikely to last long. The 7.7-magnitude quake struck on September 25 in Baluchistan's remote Awaran district, killing at least 271 people and affecting hundreds of thousands. The island is about 60 to 70 feet (18 to 21 metres) high, up to 300 feet wide and up to 120 feet long and sits about 650 feet from the coast. (Photo by AFP Photo/CNES/Distribution Astrium Services)

“The Wii U is an upcoming home video game console by Nintendo, and the direct successor to the Wii. The system is expected to be released in 2012 and was unveiled during Nintendo's press conference at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011 on June 7, 2011. The Wii U is the first Nintendo console to produce 1080p high-definition graphics, and features a new controller with an embedded touchscreen. The controller allows a player to continue a gaming session by displaying the game even when the television is off. The system will be fully backwards compatible with Wii, and Wii U games can support compatibility with Wii peripherals, such as the Wii Remote and Wii Balance Board”. – Wikipedia

Photo: The new Nintendo game console Wii U is displayed at the Nintendo booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo on June 7, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. The Wii U will have HD graphics, a controller with a 6.2 inch touchscreen and be compatible with all other Wii accessories. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)