The Afghan military, backed by advisers from the US-led NATO war machine, has in recent months been trying to bomb the Taliban back to the negotiating table. Even as Trump Town has tried to put a positive spin on the group’s no-show at the Tashkent powwow on the grounds that this, at least, did not amount to an outright rejection of President Ghani’s peace package. This has inevitably backfired. And never more so than in this week’s strike on a madrassa in Kunduz that left up to 150 civilians dead; a great many of them children. For this was a gathering to celebrate graduating students. There have been conflicting reports as to whether the Taliban were present at the time of the hit. The UN is now investigating on the ground. While reminding all parties of their duty to protect civilians in times of armed conflict. The Kunduz tragedy, which some are calling a massacre, echoes Pakistan’s own battle against militants. Especially with regards to the US drone strike that targeted a seminary in Chenegai in Bajaur Agency back in October 2006. The intended target was the head cleric who was reportedly a known militant. Be that as it may the end result was that some 80 civilians died. Sixty-nine of whom were children; the youngest being seven-years-old. Now, as then, the question remains: when is it legitimate to target known militants? Which is another way of asking about whether the prospect of collateral matters as much as it should. The answer, sadly, appears to be that it does not. Some American security pundits have long contended that those in Pakistan who shelter militants represent legitimate targets for US drones. One of the most popular examples cited in this regard is the assassination of then Tehreek-e-Taliban leader Baitullah Meshud back in 2009 that also reportedly took out his wife and in-laws. Yet this and other such instances overlook the role that coercion may or may not play in providing sanctuary. And then there is also the matter of the children of terrorists being considered fair game. Such as the 16-yeaar-old son a and eight-year-old daughter of US citizen Anwar al-Awlakior the 12-year-old son of Briton Sally Jones who was killed alongside his mother. For in armed conflict, the rights of the child must come first. And if it boils down to a toss-up between going after the baddies and having minors in the line of fire or putting on hold the decision to drop the bomb — the latter should be the only viable option. Meaning that the terrorists can die another day to save the next generation. For to do otherwise erases the lines between militants and so-called saviours. Just as it also whips up the flames of anti-American sentiment. And in the case of the Kunduz strike, it matters not that no US drone reportedly participated in the killing of children given that much of the Afghan population sees the Kabul regime as a front for Washington. Sadly, 17 years in and the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan are back where they started in terms of collateral damage. Not only is this a crying shame — it continues to be an extremely dangerous trajectory. * Published in Daily Times, April 5th 2018.