VOA慢速英语2016 美在叙利亚拉卡空袭伊斯兰国家

AS IT IS 2016-05-26 Airstrikes Hit Islamic State in Raqqa 美在叙利亚拉卡空袭伊斯兰国家

The U.S. led a group of planes on airstrikes Tuesday against Islamic State positions in Raqqa, Syria.

周二美国对叙利亚城市拉卡的IS据点进行空袭。

A British-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory¹ for Human Rights, said the attacks targeted IS on the outskirts² of the city. This could have been to avoid civilian³ casualties, although civilian deaths were reported.

英国监管机构，叙利亚人权观察站，表示此次空袭打击目标为郊区的IS分子，这样可以避免平民伤亡，尽管最终有报道显示有平民牺牲。

IS has declared Raqqa its capital in Syria. Political activists⁴ in Raqqa say Islamic State is using innocent people as human shields. They say IS places fighters and weapons in civilian housing.

IS宣称拉卡为自己的首都。政治家表示IS用无辜的平民作为人肉挡箭牌。他们说IS在平民家中安置武装人员和武器。

The reports come a day after a group of Syrian militias⁵ backed by the U.S. moved against IS north of Raqqa. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the move in a video posted online.

该报道出自由美国支持的叙利亚民兵部队靠近拉卡北部的IS据点之后的一天。库尔德人领导的叙利亚民主部队在网上发布的视频中宣称此次行动。

The SDF are made up of at least 25,000 Syrian Kurds, as well as 5,000 to 6,000 Syrian Arabs.

该部队由至少25,000叙利亚库尔德人组成，还有5至6千叙利亚阿拉伯人。

The new push against IS is on areas north of Raqqa, not the city, a senior commander for the U.S. allied⁶ group told VOA.

此次针对IS的行动在拉卡城市北部地区，并不在市内，一位来自美国联合集团的高级指挥官对美国之音表示。

The SDF commander said his troops were moving with tanks and other heavy weapons toward areas north of Raqqa.

自卫队指挥官表示他们在向拉卡北部进军时携带了坦克和其他重武器。

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported intense fighting between SDF and IS forces around villages about 56 kilometers north of Raqqa.

叙利亚人权观察站表示自卫队和IS部队在约拉卡北部56千米处展开激战。

Colonel Steve Warren is a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition⁷ fighting Islamic State. He said the coalition will support SDF, but U.S. Special Forces are giving assistance and advice, not fighters.

史蒂夫·沃伦上校是美国主导的对抗伊斯兰国家联盟的发言人。他表示联合政府将支持自卫队，特种部队将提供帮助和建议,而不是战士。

U.S. officials have downplayed expectations that forces will be able to capture Raqqa anytime soon.

美国官员表示不要对部队能及时赶到拉卡抱有高的期望。

A European diplomat⁸ told VOA the plan is to surround much of Raqqa and capture villages north, west and south of the city.

一位欧洲外交官告诉美国之音,计划是包围拉卡大部分，并占据村北、西部和南部的城市。

Hussam Eisa, from Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered⁹ Silently, said most civilians¹⁰ have fled those towns for Raqqa.

胡萨姆·伊萨(Hussam Eisa)来自拉卡市，拉卡正在遭遇无声的屠杀，他说多数村民早已逃出拉卡各镇。

In Washington, U.S. Senator John McCain told VOA's Azerbaijani Service that capturing Raqqa would be "very difficult."

在华盛顿，美国参议员约翰·麦凯恩(John McCain)对美国之音阿塞拜疆区表示攻下拉卡将会十分艰难。

“It is going to take a very big and important effort. [Islamic State] will not go down easy,” McCain said. “They will fight to retain their territorial¹¹ capital.”

“打击IS并不容易，需要付出巨大的努力。”麦凯恩说，“他们将努力保护他们的领土。”

Words in This Story

outskirts – n. the outer parts of a city or town

human shield – n. a person or group held near potential targets to prevent attacks

liberate¹² – v. to set people free from an occupation

civil war – n. a war between citizens of the same country

downplay – n. to make something appear less important, or minimize

territorial – v. relating to the ownership of an area of land

1 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

2 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

6 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

9 slaughtered   

v.屠杀，杀戮，屠宰( slaughter的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The invading army slaughtered a lot of people. 侵略军杀了许多人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Hundreds of innocent civilians were cruelly slaughtered. 数百名无辜平民遭残杀。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

11 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

12 liberate   

v.解放，使获得自由，释出，放出；vt.解放，使获自由

参考例句：

• They did their best to liberate slaves.他们尽最大能力去解放奴隶。
• This will liberate him from economic worry.这将消除他经济上的忧虑。