As Afghanistan war ramps up, one hospital hunkers down to treat soldiers – and Taliban

"With those patients, it's the recognition of the journey that lies ahead of them that plays on your mind," says Maj. Sue Snaith, who in civilian life is a pediatric expert in London.

More so for the Afghan children wounded in crossfire, bombings, or mine blasts.

United Nations estimates suggest around two thirds of civilian casualties are caused by the Taliban, with the remainder hit by NATO forces.

Treatment of Afghans brings its own challenges. Medics are expected to be sensitive to Afghanistan's rigorously patriarchal culture.

Recalling the case of a boy who had stepped on an IED, Snaith says the culture clash can sometimes be daunting.

"The boy's biggest worry was what his dad would say when he saw him, so he hid his lower legs under a sheet," she says. "It was heartbreaking to see."

Treating the Taliban

Under the Geneva Convention the Taliban are also entitled to care – a fact which sits uneasily with many soldiers who believe the brutal asymmetry of the Taliban's tactics should disqualify them from treatment.

On a recent visit to the hospital, a Taliban fighter sat upright in a bed in the Intensive Treatment Unit, his thick beard wrestling free from underneath a large blindfold. Though heavily sedated, he was accompanied by an Army guard even as he was wheeled into surgery.

Privately some medics are uncomfortable with treating the enemy, but stick to the ethical code governing their profession.

Others, such as Capt. Andrea Blay, second in command of the ITU ward, try to step back from the emotive debate on patching up the Taliban.

"They don't like being treated by women, that's for sure," she says wryly.

"But some of them are kids – 14 or 15-year-olds paid to do something stupid. Do they know the consequences of what they are doing? When you see them in here, some look almost apologetic. They are human, and we treat them with that respect."

Her colleague Capt. Raj Nathwani takes a similarly nuanced view.

"I hope I am able to still see the wider picture here. They are fighting for a cause, and perhaps my feeling would be very similar if foreign forces were in my land," he says.

"I hope for the Afghan people we are doing the right thing here, because a lot of people are being hurt."

Not everyone at Bastion is so sanguine. Outside, a weary-looking Marine from Washington expressed shock that medical resources are spent on the Taliban – an enemy he has yet to see in seven months patrolling northern Helmand.

"They are killing our guys, so why should we help them?" said the young man, who did not want to be named. "They hate our way of life so let them fix themselves up."

It is never too long before the thump of helicopter rotor blades again ranges into earshot, bringing another casualty from a remote front line.

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