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.

Border between Sweden and Norway at Moldusen. An approximately 20-meter wide clearing in the forest separates the two Scandinavian nations, consequently cutting Finnskogen in two. Grue Finnskog 2016. (Photo by Terje Abusdal/The Washington Post)

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