2006年VOA标准英语-Two Senegalese Soldiers Shot Dead During Demini

By Jordan Davis
Dakar
21 December 2006

Senegalese army officials say two soldiers were shot to death in an ambush¹ in the southern Casamance region. For more than two decades, the area has seen sporadic² violence involving separatist rebels and the national army.  For VOA, Jordan Davis reports from Dakar.

Officials say a troop convoy³ was fired on Wednesday near the Gambian border, 40 kilometers east of the regional capital Ziginchor.

They say two died from bullet wounds and 14 were injured when their truck veered⁴ off the road. The soldiers were providing security for a landmine⁵ removal team.

Army spokesman Colonel Antoine Wardini says the identity of the shooters is not immediately clear.

"When we stepped out of the car and tried to investigate the area, the snipers had run away," he said. "So we have not caught them. I am pretty sure they are doing these kinds of operations just to try to discourage us from keeping up with the de-mining operation."

The rebel group Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance signed a peace deal with officials in Dakar two years ago, but some hardliners have refused to agree.

The VOA was unable to reach representatives of the separatist group for comment.

Casamance is wedged between Gambia and Guinea-Bissau and is cut off from much of the rest of Senegal. Separatists have claimed their region is often neglected.

In more than 20 years of fighting, Senegalese and rebel forces laid thousands of mines across Casamance.

The British-based Handicap International estimates landmines⁶ have maimed nearly 800 people there.

Officials in Dakar have pledged to de-mine the entire region by the year 2009.

1 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

2 sporadic   

adj.偶尔发生的 [反]regular；分散的

参考例句：

• The sound of sporadic shooting could still be heard.仍能听见零星的枪声。
• You know this better than I.I received only sporadic news about it.你们比我更清楚，而我听到的只是零星消息。

3 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

4 veered   

v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• The bus veered onto the wrong side of the road. 公共汽车突然驶入了逆行道。
• The truck veered off the road and crashed into a tree. 卡车突然驶离公路撞上了一棵树。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 landmine   

n.地雷

参考例句：

• A landmine is a kind of weapon used in war.地雷是一种运用于战争的武器。
• The treaty bans the use,production and trade of landmine.那条约禁止使用生产和交易雷。

6 landmines   

潜在的冲突； 地雷，投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The treaty bans the use production and trade of landmines. 该条约规定，禁止使用地雷相关产品及贸易。
• One of the weapon's of special concern was landmines. 在引起人们特别关注的武器中就有地雷。