An assault at 125th Street and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Harlem, after a basketball game on August 9, 2020. Police vehicles responded but no officers intervened. (Photo by G.N.Miller/The New York Post)

A performer takes part in a religious procession ahead of the “Agrasen Jayanti” festival, which celebrates the birth anniversary of legendary Hindu king Agrasen Maharaj, in Ajmer on October 11, 2023. (Photo by Himanshu Sharma/AFP Photo)

Cameron Crazies and fans of the Duke Blue Devils pose for a photo prior to the game against the Miami Hurricanes at Cameron Indoor Stadium on January 14, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Lance King/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.

Japanese macaque monkeys enjoy sitting in the hot springs at Jigokudani-Onsen (Hell Valley) on January 23, 2005 in Jigokudani, Nagano-Prefecture, Japan. Japanese Macaques, also known as snow monkeys are the most northerly nonhuman primate in the world. In 1963 a female Macaque ventured into the hot springs to retrieve some soybeans. This behaviour was adopted by other monkeys, and eventually by the entire troop. This Macaque troop regularly visits the Jigokudani-Onsen springs to escape the cold. The hot springs are said to help relieve nerve pain and fatigue. (Photo by Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images)

A serviceman of the 148th Separate Artillery Zhytomyr Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine sits near shells as he and a soldier await command to fire a M777 Howitzer towards Russian troops at a position in a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine, on February 8, 2025. (Photo by Anatolii Stepanov/Reuters)

Elephant polo players in action during the King's Cup Elephant Polo event 2016 final between teams King Power (blue) and The Elephant Story, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 13, 2016. Team King Power won the annual charity event, which is now in its 14th edition. This year's edition involved 18 elephants brought from tourist trekking camps in Pattaya as well as some unemployed in Surin, and a total of 10 teams encompassing over 40 players, in this event directed at raising funds to improve the lives of elephants and elephant conservation. (Photo by Diego Azubel/EPA)

Parts of the Royal Chariot, which will be used during the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej's funeral later this year is seen at the National Museum in Bangkok, Thailand, February 6, 2017. (Photo by Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters)