A penitent flagellates himself during a Holy Week procession on April 21, 2011 in San Vicente de la Sonsierra, Spain. The penitents called Los Picaos flagellate themselves during the Holy Week processions. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Shakira performs in concert at the Lluis Campanys Olympic Stadium on May 29, 2011 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Robert Marquardt/Getty Images)

Model Alba Carrillo attends “Glamour” beauty awards 2012 at Pacha Club on March 14, 2012 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

This photo provided by Red Antler Processing shows the alligator sport hunting team made up of, from left, Tanner White, tag-holder Donald Woods, Will Thomas and Joey Clark as they hoist, with the help of a forklift, the longest alligator officially harvested in Mississippi, Saturday, August 26, 2023, at Red Antler Processing in Yazoo City, Miss. The male alligator weighed 802.5 pounds and measured 14 feet, 3 inches long, and its length broke the state record as the longest alligator ever caught, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. (Phoot by Shane Smith/Red Antler Processing via AP Photo)

Actor and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and his son Patrick Schwarzenegger (L) attend “Arnold Classic Europe” 2011 Party at “Jardines Cecilio Rodriguez” on October 7, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)

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.