2006年VOA标准英语-Insurgent Violence Flares in Afghanistan

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
03 May 2006
 

Destroyed police jeep is seen at the explosion site in Jalalabad, May 3, 2006  
  
Violence continues to escalate¹ in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, a provincial² governor escaped an apparent assassination³ attempt outside his office in the Northeast. A day earlier, suspected Taleban gunmen killed a senior judge outside a mosque⁴ in Western Afghanistan.

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The latest attacks are fueling concerns that the Taleban has regrouped and is gaining ground throughout the country.

In Southern Afghanistan, officials say many militants⁵ no longer bother trying to keep their presence hidden, and openly challenge local authorities.

In the capital, Kabul, NATO officials warn of increased suicide bombings to come, after suspected Taleban insurgents⁷ launched four suicide attacks in 48 hours.

But Afghan and U.S. officials maintain that the Taleban's latest offensive is a sign of desperation, not strength.

"Anytime you are taking the fight to the enemy, which is what we are doing all over Afghanistan - we are putting them on the defensive⁸, and anytime you do that, one of the consequences is going to be increased enemy attempts to push us back," said the U.S. military spokeswoman, Lieutenant⁹ Tamara Lawrence.

The latest attack occurred in the capital of Nangarhar province, about 75 kilometers east of Kabul.

Officials say the provincial governor, Gul Agha Sherzai, escaped injury after a bomb exploded outside his offices.

The bomb was hidden inside an army vehicle, and was reportedly meant to explode as Sherzai entered the building. But the governor apparently¹⁰ went to work earlier than normal and was inside when the bomb exploded.

Nobody was hurt, and Sherzai said three suspects had been arrested.

But in Farah province in Western Afghanistan, suspected Taleban gunmen succeeded in killing¹¹ a senior judge late Tuesday as he left a mosque.

Witnesses say at least two militants on motorbikes opened fire as civil court Judge Sheikh Mohammed left an evening prayer service in the provincial capital.

The Taleban's growth coincides with American plans to withdraw thousands of troops from the southern provinces, where the militants are considered most powerful.

A U.S.-led military coalition¹² ousted¹³ the hard-line Islamic group in 2001, after its leaders refused to hand over terrorist leader Osama bin⁶ Laden¹⁴.

Washington says it now plans on reducing U.S. troop strength in Afghanistan, from about 19,000 to 16,000 by the end of this year.

The U.S. forces will be replaced in the South by a beefed-up NATO peacekeeping mission, which will assume overall command for security in that region.

Local Afghan officials are questioning NATO's ability to beat back the Islamist militants in the region.

Lieutenant Lawrence says U.S. forces will still play a key role in the country's overall defense¹⁵, focusing primarily on counter-terrorism operations.

1 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

2 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

3 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

4 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

5 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

6 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

7 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

8 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

9 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

10 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

11 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

12 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。

13 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

14 laden   

adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的

参考例句：

• He is laden with heavy responsibility.他肩负重任。
• Dragging the fully laden boat across the sand dunes was no mean feat.将满载货物的船拖过沙丘是一件了不起的事。

15 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。