Hot air balloons take to the skies as they participate in the mass assent at sunrise on the second day of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta on August 11, 2017 in Bristol, England. More than 130 balloons have gathered for the four day event, now in its 39th year and now one of Europe's largest annual hot air balloon events, being hosted in the city that is seen by many as the home of modern ballooning. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

A man uses iron sheet to make noises, as a way of trying to disperse desert locusts that had invaded their farms during the second wave invasion in Kakongo village, in Nuu-Mwingi East, in Kitui, Kenya, 06 February 2021. The second wave invasion of the desert locusts in the country comes at a time where most famers are expecting to harvest their farm produce in the country. (Photo by Daniel Irungu/EPA/EFE)

A Waura Indian woman watches the activities of this year's “quarup”, a ritual held over several days to honour in death a person of great importance to them, in Xingu National Park, Mato Grosso State, August 24, 2013. This year the Waura tribe is honouring their late cacique (chief) Atamai, who died in 2012 and helped created the Xingu Park, and his important contribution in facilitating communication between white Brazilians and Indians. (Photo by Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters)

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.

This picture taken with an underwater camera shows Japan' s Yumi Adachi competing in the Mixed Duet technical final during the synchronised swimming competition at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest, on July 17, 2017. (Photo by Bernadett Szabo/Reuters)

Anton Unitsyn, Russia. Shortlist, Professional , Daily Life. Parkour jumpers on their daily training. On the background – one of the main Solvychegodsk sights – Blagoveshchensky Cathedral. This church is among 3 churches, that survived soviet times. At the begining of 20th century there were 13 churches in Solvichegodsk. After breakdown of the communism, Solvichegodsk as many small towns in russia is stuck in it's past. Despite everything, people in Solvichegodsk still belive in their positive future, and wait for wind of change. (Photo by Anton Unitsyn/Sony World Photography Awards)

German car manufacturer BMW presents the “Vision Next 100” concept car during the 100th anniversary celebrations in Munich, Germany, Monday, March 7, 2016. (Photo by Matthias Schrader/AP Photo)

Hotel staff practice self-defence skills after a training session given by team member of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, April 7, 2016. (Photo by Reuters/Stringer)