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 body of one of several U.S. soldiers who were executed after being captured by North Korean troops just south of Seoul in early July 1950. (Photo by AP Photo)

Protesters wave Lebanese flags during a demonstration on March 13, 2011 in Beirut, Lebanon. Tens of thousands of Lebanese opposition supporters demanded Hezbollah be disarmed as they rallied to mark the sixth anniversary of a popular uprising against Syrian troops in the country.

German troops in Stalingrad, USSR. September 10, 1942. (Photo by TASS)

Battle-weary American troops withdraw from Yong San in Korea. (Photo by Keystone/Getty Images). 1950

Troops of the Interior Ministry take part in a parade during a ceremony marking the Iraqi Police Day at a police academy in Baghdad January 9, 2016. (Photo by Khalid al Mousily/Reuters)

Ukrainian servicemen fire toward Russian troops with a tank at a position in Donetsk region, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, Ukraine on August 12, 2022. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)