An Egyptian horse owner cares for one of his animals at stables in Giza near the capital on May 26, 2024. (Photo by Khaled Desouki/AFP Photo)

An image from House Television shows Republican John Rose speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives as his son Guy makes a face in Washington DC, US on June 4, 2024. (Photo by AP Photo)

Stage winner France Kevin Vauquelin climbs during the second stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 199.2 kilometers (123.8 miles) with start in Cesenatico and finish in Bologna, Italy, Sunday, June 30, 2024. Photo by (Etienne Garnier/Pool Photo via AP Photo)

Tearful Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu after the UEFA EURO 2024 Quarter-Final football match between Netherlands and Turkiye at Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany on July 06, 2024. (Photo by Thilo Schmuelgen/Reuters)

Lopez Cardona of Cuba and Oleksandr Khyzhniak of Ukraine appear inseparable in the 80kg semi-final on August 4, 2024, but it was Khyzhniak who progressed to the final. (Photo by Peter Cziborra/Reuters)

Festival goers wear Australia day attire at Big Day Out 2012 at the Sydney Showground on January 26, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The 26th annual Visa Pour l’Image, the “Cannes Film Festival” of photojournalism kicks off, filling the French city of Perpignan with more than 3,000 of the world’s best photojournalists and photo editors, along with agencies from around the world. This year’s Visa Pour l’Image showcases 26 exhibitions around the city. Photo: Christians looting a Muslim shop in the “Combattants” district of Bangui. (Photo by Pierre Terdjman/Paris Match)

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.