2007年VOA标准英语-Violence Continues to Spread in Pakistan; Musha

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
18 July 2007

Militants¹ in northwestern Pakistan have ambushed² a security convoy³ and killed at least 17 soldiers - less than a day after a suicide bomber⁴ killed 16 people in Islamabad. Despite the spreading unrest, Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf has declined to declare a state of emergency. VOA'S Benjamin Sand reports from the Pakistani capital.

Pakistani tribesmen gather around a destroyed paramilitary check post after a blast in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, 17 Jul 2007

Pakistan's military spokesman, Major General Waheed Arshad, says the latest attack occurred Wednesday morning in the North Waziristan Tribal⁵ Agency, not far from the Afghan border.

The tribal area is considered a major stronghold for pro-Taleban and al-Qaida militants.

Arshad says the firefight killed 10 soldiers on the spot. He says the militants also suffered heavy casualties, but removed their dead before government forces could investigate.

cordon6 off the area of a suicide attack in Islamabad, Pakistan, 17 July 2007 " hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070721/1357131.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Police cordon off the area of a suicide attack in Islamabad, Pakistan, 17 July 2007

A series of bomb attacks in the tribal region has killed more than a hundred people in the past week. On Tuesday, meanwhile, a bomb blast ripped through an anti-government rally in the capital, killing⁷ at least 16 people.

The surging violence follows a controversial government raid last week on a radical⁸, pro-Taleban mosque⁹ in Islamabad. At least 75 people were killed after commandos stormed the complex and fought pitched battles with heavily armed militants inside.

The bloodshed has intensified¹⁰ the political pressure on Pakistan's already-embattled president, General Pervez Musharraf.

Tuesday's bombing here in Islamabad was apparently¹¹ aimed at political activists¹² waiting to hear a speech by the country's former chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry.

Mr. Musharraf suspended the judge on March 9. The firing has galvanized anti-government sentiment, and Chaudhry has been traveling around the country giving speeches critical of the president.

Pervez Musharraf (file photo)

State run media reported Wednesday that the president strongly condemned¹³ the Islamabad bombing. He told newspaper editors that the government is in "direct confrontation¹⁴" with extremist forces.

The head of Pakistan's crisis management office, Brigadier Javed Iqbal Cheema, told reporters Tuesday evening that the government has no intention of backing down.

"The government is doing all it can to prevent such nefarious¹⁵ acts by the terrorists," he said. "We expect the entire nation to extend its full cooperation to the law enforcement agencies in dealing¹⁶ with this threat."

Despite the rising violence, Mr. Musharraf reportedly ruled out declaring a state of emergency Wednesday. The president, who seized power in a military coup¹⁷ in 1999, faces national elections later this year, and he was quoted as saying the elections will be held on time.

U.S. officials say Washington will continue to back Mr. Musharraf's fight against extremist elements.

The United States recently announced plans to invest more than $750 million in health, education and economic projects in the tribal areas where much of the violence is taking place.

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 ambushed   

v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The military vehicles were ambushed. 军车遭到伏击。 来自《简明英汉词典》

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 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

5 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

6 cordon   

n.警戒线，哨兵线

参考例句：

• Police officers threw a cordon around his car to protect him.警察在他汽车周围设置了防卫圈以保护他。
• There is a tight security cordon around the area.这一地区周围设有严密的安全警戒圈。

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

9 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。

10 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 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。

12 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

14 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

15 nefarious   

adj.恶毒的，极坏的

参考例句：

• My father believes you all have a nefarious purpose here.我父亲认为你们都有邪恶的目的。
• He was universally feared because of his many nefarious deeds.因为他干了许多罪恶的勾当，所以人人都惧怕他。

16 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

17 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。