13 NATO Troops Killed in Afghanistan Suicide Attack

 　　A suicide car bomber¹ attacked a NATO convoy² in Kabul Saturday killing³ 13 NATO troops from the international security force or ISAF (according to ISAF) and at least 4 (four) Afghans. At least eight others were wounded in the attack. Twelve of the dead NATO troops are reported to be U.S. service members. Canadian news outlets⁴ say one of the service members was from Canada.

　　The suicide car bomb went off next to an armored bus carrying NATO forces in Kabul, turning the heavily armed vehicle on its side and engulfing⁵ it in flames. The attack came before noon on a wide busy road near the national museum and not far from the parliament and  a NATO base. Ambulances and NATO personnel  and helicopters rushed to the scene to attend to the living and the dead.

　　A Pentagon spokesman, Army Lt. Col. Jim Gregory, confirmed all 13 servicemembers killed were Americans. "We did lose 13 Americans today," he said.

　　He said details about the attack are still emerging, as the Pentagon coordinates⁶ efforts with NATO's International Security Assistance Force, known as "ISAF."

　　"We're working very closely with ISAF, and at this time we don't have any additional details to offer," he said.

　　Eyewitness⁷ accounts say the explosion was massive, sending thick black smoke and shrapnel into the sky. In addition to the dead, several other people were wounded.

　　The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. Car bombings are rare in the Afghan capital, although there have been bold attacks in recent months, including a June assault on the Intercontinental Hotel, and attacks on the British Council in August and the U.S. Embassy and NATO headquarters a few weeks later.

　　The last car bomb in Kabul was in May, 2010 on the same road as Saturday’s attack. In that incident, 18 people were killed including 5 Americans and one Canadian soldier.

　　The incident comes days before a conference in Istanbul where  Afghan President  Hamid Karzai is expected to announce the next phase of security transition, with Afghan forces taking security responsibility from NATO troops in certain areas of the country.

　　The process began in July with the transfer of seven cities and provinces to Afghan control, part of a gradual process to have Afghan forces in charge of the whole country by the end of 2014.

　　There were two other attacks on government-related targets around Afghanistan Saturday. In the eastern city of Asadabad a female suicide bomber wounded several Afghans before being killed outside government offices and in the south, an Afghan in an army uniform turned his gun on two international soldiers killing them both.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 outlets   

n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店

参考例句：

• The dumping of foreign cotton blocked outlets for locally grown cotton. 外国棉花的倾销阻滞了当地生产的棉花的销路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They must find outlets for their products. 他们必须为自己的产品寻找出路。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

5 engulfing   

adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了，使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句

6 coordinates   

n.相配之衣物；坐标( coordinate的名词复数 )；（颜色协调的）配套服装；[复数]女套服；同等重要的人（或物）v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的第三人称单数 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• The town coordinates on this map are 695037. 该镇在这幅地图上的坐标是695037。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。