2007年VOA标准英语-Talks Fail, Fighting Erupts Outside Pakistan Mo

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
10 July 2007

Negotiations¹ to end the stand off have apparently² broken down and a military assault has reportedly begun. A senior military official says the security forces have entered the compound. Hospital officials say at least two troops have been killed and at least seven others injured. The government says hundreds of women and children are being held hostage by a group of "hardcore terrorists" with possible links to al-Qaida. VOA correspondent Benjamin Sand reports from Islamabad.

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Soldiers man positions outside Islamabad's Red Mosque, 9 Jul 2007

Huge explosions rocked the mosque early Tuesday morning as hopes for a possible breakthrough faded.

Just before midnight Pakistani Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani told reporters negotiators were still working toward ending the seven-day stand-off.

"We are trying our best to minimize the losses, that is why we are in the negotiations," said Muhammad Ali Durrani.

Officials say those talks broke down hours later and fighting erupted outside the mosque.

The government says militants⁴ are holding hundreds of women and children as human shields and there are fears of mass casualties.

The mosque's fiery⁵, pro-Taleban leader, Abdul Rashid Ghazi has said everyone in Lal Masjid would rather die fighting than surrender to government forces.

1 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 fiery   

adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的

参考例句：

• She has fiery red hair.她有一头火红的头发。
• His fiery speech agitated the crowd.他热情洋溢的讲话激动了群众。