VOA慢速英语2014 逃离“伊斯兰国” 青少年讲述被绑架经历

 

AS IT IS 2014-10-30 Youth Kidnapped by Islamic State Tells His Story 逃离“伊斯兰国” 青少年讲述被绑架经历

Last June, Islamic State militants¹ kidnapped more than 150 students from the city of Kobani in northern Syria. Many of those kidnapped were ethnic² Kurds. The militants released most of the students several months later. But about 20 students remain in captivity³.

One of those freed is a 16-year-old named Azad. He now lives in Turkey.

Azad said the militants seized him and the other students as they were returning home. He said the students had just finished taking their secondary school exams in the Syrian city of Aleppo.

“We were scared,” Azad said. “They had long beards. They told us 'we will slaughter⁴ you, you infidels.' They asked us to pray and to make the ablutions. Some of us did not know how. They hit them and said, ‘Why do you not know the ablutions?’”

Islamic State militants have executed thousands of people. The group has accused its victims of being infidels — in other words, for not following what the militants say is the true religion.

Azad said for three months the group beat the teenagers and threatened to execute them.

“They hit us, and gave us religion lessons. They were taking medicine. Their eyes became red after that. They put bombs on themselves and said we will go to heaven. We cried and said we want to go to our parents. They hit us and said 'why are you crying for your parents? If you become Muslims and return to Kobani, you must kill your parents because they are infidels,’” remembered Azad.

His mother, Berivan, said she and the other mothers appealed for their children’s release.

“It was very difficult -- three months of tears and crying. We tried to see them (the Islamic State fighters). We went without the men. But they told us to leave. They said if you don't go now we will kill your children now. We cried and cried,” said Berivan.

The militants released most of the children a few weeks ago. They sought to exchange the students for Islamic State fighters who had been captured.

But Azad said he still has bad dreams about the experience.

Words in This Story

kidnapped - v. took someone by force and held him or her prisoner

captivity - n. not being able to leave or be free

slaughter - v. kill many people in a violent way

ablutions - n. washing oneself, usually before prayers

“Even after we moved to Turkey, I am still afraid. I will always remember one of them. He came at two o'clock in the morning. He had a long beard. He told us 'I will kill you all' and then he left,” he said.

Azad passed his exams in Aleppo. He wants to be an engineer. He said he hopes to continue his education in Kobani someday.

1 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。

2 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

3 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

4 slaughter   

n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀

参考例句：

• I couldn't stand to watch them slaughter the cattle.我不忍看他们宰牛。
• Wholesale slaughter was carried out in the name of progress.大规模的屠杀在维护进步的名义下进行。