Daily Times

Sir: Recently an afghan air-strike on a potential Taliban gathering in the northern province of Kunduz has caused several casualties, including among civilians. Most of civilian victims were children. The strike was on a religious school in the Dasht-e-Archi district of the Kunduz province was targeted by air raids late on Monday, resulting in the death of at least 70 people, including top Taliban commanders.

The strike took place when a ceremony was going and there were children as young as 11 or 12 years old in the ceremony who were to be presented with degrees and gifts for the completion of their religious courses. The attack was backed by US air raids. The wounded were driven more than 30 miles to hospital for treatment. Several boys with their arms and legs bandaged were seen lying in beds and along the corridors of the hospital. One of the sources said that Taliban had started meeting at madrassas in the hope of avoiding airstrikes. US and Afghan forces are increasing ground and air offensives against Taliban and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) insurgents as they try to get the upper hand in the 16-year war.

This brought similar feelings when Army Public School was attacked back in December 16th of 2014 in which the attack killed a total of 145 people which included 132 school children and ten school staff members.

SYED SHAFIN AHMED

Karachi

Published in Daily Times, April 5^th 2018.