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.

Model Heidi Klum attends her 8th Annual Halloween Party at The Green Door on October 31, 2007 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images)

A hot air balloon depicting a dog that participates in the International Hot Air Balloon Festival, flies over Leon, Guanajuato state, Mexico, on November 14, 2020, amid the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The festival, in which 100 air balloons participate, was held without spectators to avoid crowds and prevent contagion. (Photo by Ulises Ruiz/AFP Photo)

A hand reaches out to touch a dinosaur during the “Jurassic Quest” experience at Broward County Convention Center on July 08, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

The Sun rises above the forest near Kiskorpad, Hungary, 02 January 2021. (Photo by Gyorgy Varga/EPA/EFE)

A hare runs on a small road as the sun rises in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, June 12, 2023. (Photo by Michael Probst/AP Photo)

The Big Island's Mauna Loa Volcano erupts on November 28, 2022 on the Island of Hawaii. For the first time in almost 40 years, the biggest active volcano in the world erupted prompting an emergency response on the Big Island. (Photo by Andrew Richard Hara/Getty Images)

Selena Gomez performs at the MTV Movie Awards. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision for MTV)