VOA慢速英语2021 塔利班攻占更多城市 美国派兵帮助撤离使馆人员（在线收听）

As Taliban militants gained control of Afghanistan's second and third largest cities on Friday, the United States and western nations are preparing to send troops to help evacuate workers from embassies in the capital, Kabul.

随着塔利班武装分子周五控制了阿富汗第二和第三大城市，美国等西方国家正准备派遣军队帮助工作人员从驻首都喀布尔的大使馆撤离。

The capture of Kandahar in the south and Herat in the west after days of clashes is a major loss for the Afghan government. The Taliban also captured the towns of Lashkar Gah in the south and Qala-e-Naw in the northwest, security officers said.

南部的坎大哈和西部的赫拉特在经过数天的交锋后被占领，这是阿富汗政府的重大失利。塔利班还占领了南部的拉什卡尔加和西北部的瑙堡等城镇。

Ghulam Habib Hashimi, a council member, told Reuters by telephone from Herat, "The city looks like a front line, a ghost town. Families have either left or are hiding in their homes."

市议员古拉姆·哈比卜·哈希米在赫拉特通过电话对路透社表示：“这座城市看起来就是前线，就是鬼城。各个家庭要么逃离，要么躲在家里。”

In Kandahar, the birthplace of the Taliban, witnesses said the militants seized the governor's office and other buildings. An official said government forces still controlled Kandahar's airport, which was the U.S. military's second biggest base in Afghanistan.

在塔利班的发源地坎大哈，目击者称武装分子占领了州长办公室和其它建筑。一位官员表示，政府军仍然控制着坎大哈机场，这是美军在阿富汗的第二大基地。

Since Aug. 6, the militants have taken control of 14 of Afghanistan's 34 provincial capitals. Of Afghanistan's major cities, the government still holds Kabul, Mazar-i-Sharif in the north and Jalalabad near the Pakistani border in the east.

自8月6日以来，武装分子已经控制了阿富汗34个省会城市中的14个。在阿富汗的主要城市中，政府仍然控制着喀布尔，北部的马扎里沙里夫和东部靠近巴基斯坦边境的贾拉拉巴德。

The defeats have raised concerns that the U.S.-supported government could fall to the militants, as international forces complete their withdrawal after 20 years of war. And U.S. intelligence reports said this week that the Taliban could isolate Kabul within 30 days and take it over in 90 days.

随着国际部队在经过20年的战争后完成撤军，这些失败让人们担忧美国支持的阿富汗政府可能会落入武装分子手中。美国情报报告本周表示，塔利班可能在30天内隔断喀布尔，并在90天内接管它。

On Thursday, U.S. defense officials announced that 3,000 extra troops would be deployed to Afghanistan within 48 hours to help evacuate U.S. embassy workers.

美国国防官员周四宣布，将在48小时向阿富汗增派3000名士兵，以帮助撤离美国大使馆的工作人员。

Britain said it would send about 600 troops to help its citizens leave. The Associated Press reported Canada would also deploy special forces troops to Kabul to help in the evacuation of embassy workers. Other embassies and aid groups said they were also getting their people out.

英国表示将派遣约600名士兵帮助其公民撤离。美联社报道称，加拿大也将向喀布尔部署特种部队帮助疏散大使馆工作人员。其它大使馆和援助团体也表示，他们正在撤离他们的人。

The speed of the Taliban offensive has raised criticism of U.S. President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw American troops - 20 years after they ousted the Taliban following the Sept. 11 attacks on the U.S.

塔利班的进攻速度引发了对美国总统拜登在美国911事件后驱逐塔利班20年之后做出撤军决定的批评。

Biden said this week he did not regret his decision. He noted that the U.S. has spent more than $1 trillion in America's longest war and has lost thousands of troops.

拜登本周表示，他并不后悔自己的决定。他指出，美国在这场美国耗时最久的战争中消耗了超过1万亿美元，还牺牲了数千名士兵。

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday. They told him the United States remained "invested" in Afghanistan's security and stability and is working in support of a political solution.

美国国务卿安东尼·布林肯和国防部长劳埃德·奥斯汀周四与阿富汗总统阿什拉夫·加尼进行了交流。他们告诉加尼，美国仍然致力于阿富汗的安全和稳定，并将努力支持政治解决方案。

The fighting has also raised fears of a refugee crisis. A U.N. official said about 400,000 civilians have been forced from their homes since the beginning of the year.

这场战争也引发了难民危机的担忧。一名联合国官员表示，自今年年初以来，大约有40万平民被迫离开家园。

In a deal with former President Donald Trump's administration last year, the Taliban agreed not to attack U.S.-led foreign forces as they withdrew.

在去年与前美国总统川普达成的协议中，塔利班同意在以美国为首的外国军队撤离时不攻击他们。

The Taliban also made a promise to discuss peace. But meetings with government representatives have gone nowhere.

塔利班还承诺共商和平。但与政府代表的会晤无果而终。