2007年VOA标准英语-US, Afghan Forces Target Taleban Militants in E

By Benjamin Sand
Islamabad
30 May 2007

U.S. and Afghan forces in Eastern Afghanistan have killed at least six suspected insurgents¹. Violent attacks are on the rise throughout much of Afghanistan, including areas previously² considered relatively³ secure. From Islamabad, VOA correspondent Benjamin Sand reports.

US soldiers are seen near a US Air Force plane at main US air base in Bagram, Afghanistan, May 29, 2007

Fighting erupted early Wednesday in the mountains outside the city of Jalalabad in Nangarhar province.  U.S. military spokesman Major Chris Belcher says allied⁴ forces returned fire from local insurgents.

"Credible⁵ intelligence led the forces to the compound suspected of housing local Taleban fighters," he said.  "As the combined force approached the compound, they took fire and quickly responded, returning fire."

He says six men were killed, with four militants⁷ detained for questioning.

In a separate operation Afghan and coalition⁸ forces in the neighboring Khost province arrested three suspected al-Qaida militants during a raid Tuesday morning.

Both provinces share a border with Pakistan's remote tribal⁹ region, where U.S. and Afghan officials say pro-Taleban and al-Qaida militants have established strategic bases.

U.S.-led coalition forces have carried out a series of raids on suspected Taleban targets on the Afghan side of the border in recent weeks, trying to pre-empt a much-anticipated Taleban offensive.

The operations appear to be working and so far there has been a limited increase in militant⁶ activity in the region. 

Elsewhere however, there is growing evidence that anti-government militants are on the move.

Afghan officials say there has already been a rise in the number of indirect attacks on foreign and Afghan forces this year.

A bomb in the southern province of Uruzgan killed at least four policemen Wednesday morning.  A similar bomb killed another two private security guards a day earlier in nearby Helmand province, deep inside the Taleban's traditional stronghold.

Violence is also increasing in the previously stable northern provinces where the Taleban has historically been relatively weak.

There have been at least three suicide bomb attacks in the north in the past two weeks. The Taleban has claimed responsibility for all of them.

Speaking to reporters in Kabul Wednesday, NATO spokeswoman Lt. Col. Angela Billings said more than 500 forces are taking part in a major counter-insurgency operation in the southern province of Kandahar.

"ISAF and Afghan national security forces continue to prosecute¹⁰ our mission, continue to provide for security despite whatever the Taleban extremists may have planned themselves," she said.

Afghan soldiers, along with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), launched the fresh actions earlier this week.

1 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

2 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

3 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

4 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

5 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

6 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

7 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。

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

9 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。

10 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？