Details are emerging about an hours-long intense battle in western Afghanistan that has resulted in significant casualties for the Taliban. Two American service personnel and several Afghan soldiers also are reported to have been killed.
阿富汗西部发生了几个小时的激烈战斗，有关战斗的细节正不断出现。这次战斗使得塔利班遭受严重伤亡。据报导，两名美军人员和几名阿富汗士兵丧生。
A World Food Program convoy under Afghan military escort came under attack by insurgents Saturday in the Bala Baluk district in Farah province.
世界粮食计划署的一个车队在阿富汗军队的护送下星期六在法拉省的巴拉布卢克地区遭到武装分子的袭击。
The convoy, which included 14 contracted trucks carrying 500 metric tons of food rations, was targeted by roadside bombs and mortar fire.
这个由14辆承包卡车组成的车队装载着500吨粮食配给。车队遭到了路边炸弹和迫击炮的袭击。
U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Christine Sidenstricker tells VOA News that a U.S. quick response force was called in, engaged in combat and then radioed for additional help.
美国海军少校塞登斯特里克对美国之音表示，美军快速反应部队被调入参加战斗，然后通过无线电呼叫增援。
"As the engagement went on and the enemy continued with strong fire, air support was called for," said Commander Sidenstricker. "Helicopters and airplanes came and started first with a show of force. Sometimes simply flying overhead is enough to make the enemy disperse and allow the engagement to end. When that did not happen bombs were dropped and that ended the engagement."
她说：“在战斗过程中，敌人的火力依然很强大，于是要求空军前来支援。直升机和飞机抵达当地后首先就显示威力。有时候，仅仅在上空飞行就足以驱散敌人，结束战斗。但是，这种情况没有发生，于是飞机就投下炸弹，这样才结束了战斗。”
The U.N. World Food Program says none of its trucks were damaged nor any of its personnel injured and the rations were delivered.
联合国粮食计划署表示，他们没有任何车辆被损坏，也没有人员受伤，而且粮食配给也运到了目的地。
Afghan Army and provincial officials say up to 50 Taliban died in the battle, which lasted for several hours.
阿富汗军方和省级官员说，多达50名塔利班成员在战斗中被打死。战斗持续了几个小时。
A woman and a teenage girl are also reported to have died. Commander Sidenstricker says that is under investigation.
据称，一名妇女和一个十几岁的小女孩丧生。指挥官表示，正在对此进行调查。
"We also have reports of civilian casualties, but the info we have from the Afghan National Army on the ground is that it is believed that that was caused by insurgent mortar fire," she said.
塞登斯特里克说：“我们也收到了有关平民伤亡的报告，不过根据在地面的阿富汗陆军的信息，是武装分子发射迫击炮导致平民伤亡。”
The Bala Baluk district, dominated by the Taliban, has been the scene of previous intense battles, some of which have caused significant civilian deaths.
巴拉布卢克地区是在塔利班控制之下，过去那里也曾多次发生激烈战斗。其中一些战斗导致了大规模平民死亡。
This latest incident comes at a time when Afghanistan is witnessing its worst violence of the eight-year-long war following the ouster of the Taliban from power in 2001.
在这次战斗发生之际，阿富汗正经历自2001年塔利班政权被推翻以来八年战争中最为严重的暴力。
U.S. forces make up the majority of the 100,000 foreign military personnel in Afghanistan. The Obama administration is considering an increase in troop levels to counter increased military casualties from improvised explosive devices.
在阿富汗的10万外国驻军中，美军占大多数。奥巴马政府正在考虑增加阿富汗的驻军水平来应对由简易爆炸装置而导致的美军伤亡人数的上升。
A resurgent Taliban have been able to extend their influence to larger chunks of the country, which is now facing potential political turmoil following a presidential election tainted by allegations of fraud.
卷土重来的塔利班一直在扩大它在阿富汗全国更大地区的影响。阿富汗目前也正面临陷入政治动乱的可能，这是由于总统选举受到存在舞弊的指责。 |