Residents display scarecrows with an NHS theme outside their homes in Greenfield for the annual scarecrow parade on April 09, 2020 in Manchester, United Kingdom. There have been around 60,000 reported cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the United Kingdom and 7,000 deaths. The country is in its third week of lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images)

Spain supporters celebrate as Spain's Nico Williams scores the opening goal in Madrid, Spain, July 14, 2024 during the screening of the final match between Spain and England at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Berlin Germany. (Photo by Andrea Comas/AP Photo)

San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) dodges a pitch during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs at Petco Park in San Diego, California on April 16, 2025. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Reuters)

Cast members Chase Sui Wonders, Sarah Pidgeon, Gabriella Bechtel, also known as Gabbriette, and Madelyn Cline attend the premiere of the film “I Know What You Did Last Summer”, in Los Angeles on July 15, 2025. (Photo by Mario Anzuoni/Reuters)

Spectators in colourful attire cheer as the pack of riders (peloton) cycles by during the 14th stage of the 111th edition of the Tour de France cycling race, 151,9 km between Pau and Saint-Lary-Soulan Pla d'Adet, in the Pyrenees mountains in southwestern France, on July 13, 2024. (Photo by Anne-Christine Poujoulat/AFP Photo)

Revellers get into the spirit of the 40th annual Zomercarnaval – summer carnival – in Rotterdam on July 28, 2024. The two-day event is such in integral part of Netherlands tradition it was added to Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list last year. (Phoot by James Petermeier/ZUMA Press Wire)

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.

People run in panic after a coalition airstrike hit Islamic State fighters positions in Tahrir neighbourhood of Mosul, Iraq, November 17, 2016. (Photo by Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)