Afghan dogfights
![Afghans watch a dogfight in Kabul. Despite being illegal, the sport is popular even among government officials.](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e166b0e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/600x441+0+0/resize/600x441!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fa3%2Fa6%2F2f68dcce4f97ef5dee7c91a174b8%2Flat-kabuldogs-lmydvxnc.jpg)
Afghans watch a dogfight in Kabul. Despite being illegal, the sport is popular even among government officials. (Rahmat Gul / Associated Press)
![Dogfighting in Kabul, Afghanistan](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/402cf6d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/600x396+0+0/resize/600x396!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F0d%2F4d%2F925715f99a446be07f17bfde4295%2Flat-kabuldogs-lmydwznc.jpg)
Afghan men watch the weekly dogfights in
![Dogfighting in Afghanistan](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b36aef9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/600x400+0+0/resize/600x400!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fe7%2F37%2F98aba159d34efdcec34f35bc289b%2Flat-kabuldogs-lmydvnnc.jpg)
Afghans cheer their favored dog on the outskirts of Kabul. (Gemunu Amarasinghe / Associated Press)
![Dogfighting in Kabul, Afghanistan](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/8b3486d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/311x510+0+0/resize/311x510!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fff%2Fea%2Feb1a644a1212fde24cf93612a96e%2Flat-kabuldogs-lmydw9nc.jpg)
Two men hold on to their dog before a match. (Mustafa Quraishi / Associated Press)