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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
By Benjamin Sand
Kabul
16 March 2006
Fugitive1 Taleban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar has vowed2 stepped up violence against U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan. Coalition3 forces say they are prepared.
The rarely photographed Mullah Mohammed Omar is reportedly seen in this undated photo
The latest threat came Thursday, apparently4 from former Taleban leader Mullah Omar. In a statement given to news agencies, Omar claimed that hundreds of young Afghans were signing up to become suicide bombers5.
The statement says that a new wave of violence would be unleashed6 at the beginning of summer, and would be directed at U.S.-led forces providing security in Afghanistan's fledgling democracy.
U.S. commanders say there is usually a spike7 in militant8 attacks during the warmer weather, as snow melts and mountain passes reopen.
Coalition spokesman Colonel James Yonts says counter-insurgency9 operations will continue as planned.
"We expect these attacks, but we will not be deterred," he said. "We will stand strong, and we are committed in Afghanistan, with the Afghan government and the Afghan people."
The Afghan government is also downplaying the significance of the Taleban threat.
"The fact is that, at the end of each season, they say the same thing, that they increase their attacks on Afghan security forces," said Interior Ministry10 spokesman, Yousuf Stanizai.
The Taleban insurgency has taken more than 1,500 lives in the past year. That is the highest death toll11 since coalition forces ousted12 the hard-line Islamic Taleban regime in 2001 for harboring al-Qaida terrorist leader Osama bin13 Laden14.
Suicide bombings have intensified15, with at least 12 this year alone.
The Interior Ministry's Yousuf Stanizai says this tactic16 is a sign of weakness, and that Taleban militants17 no longer have the stomach for a head-on fight.
"As I say before, they don't have the power to fight the international coalition, or Afghan security forces," he said.
NATO security forces are being reinforced and expanded throughout the volatile18 southern provinces where Taleban insurgents19 are most active.
Some 18,000 U.S. troops are also leading independent missions specifically targeting al-Qaida and Taleban militants.
1 fugitive | |
adj.逃亡的,易逝的;n.逃犯,逃亡者 | |
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2 vowed | |
起誓,发誓(vow的过去式与过去分词形式) | |
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3 coalition | |
n.结合体,同盟,结合,联合 | |
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4 apparently | |
adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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5 bombers | |
n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 );投弹手;安非他明胶囊;大麻叶香烟 | |
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6 unleashed | |
v.把(感情、力量等)释放出来,发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7 spike | |
n.长钉,钉鞋;v.以大钉钉牢,使...失效 | |
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8 militant | |
adj.激进的,好斗的;n.激进分子,斗士 | |
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9 insurgency | |
n.起义;暴动;叛变 | |
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10 ministry | |
n.(政府的)部;牧师 | |
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11 toll | |
n.过路(桥)费;损失,伤亡人数;v.敲(钟) | |
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12 ousted | |
驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 ); 革职; 罢黜; 剥夺 | |
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13 bin | |
n.箱柜;vt.放入箱内;[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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14 laden | |
adj.装满了的;充满了的;负了重担的;苦恼的 | |
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15 intensified | |
v.(使)增强, (使)加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16 tactic | |
n.战略,策略;adj.战术的,有策略的 | |
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17 militants | |
激进分子,好斗分子( militant的名词复数 ) | |
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18 volatile | |
adj.反复无常的,挥发性的,稍纵即逝的,脾气火爆的;n.挥发性物质 | |
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19 insurgents | |
n.起义,暴动,造反( insurgent的名词复数 ) | |
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