2007年VOA标准英语-US-Led Coalition, Afghan Forces Kill 169 Taleba

By Daniel Schearf
Islamabad
26 September 2007

U.S.-led coalition¹ forces say they have killed at least 169 Taleban insurgents² in southern Afghanistan after they came under attack during combat patrols. Afghanistan has seen a surge in attacks in the past two years as the Taleban tries to take back lost territory. Daniel Schearf reports from Islamabad.

Combined Afghan army and U.S.-led coalition forces say they have repelled³ two separate attacks by Taleban insurgents in the past two days.

Coalition forces say insurgents fired on combat patrols in southern Afghanistan that were sweeping⁴ the area for Taleban fighters.

Afghan and coalition forces fought back with the help of artillery⁵ and air support, killing⁶ at least 65 Taleban in Uruzgan province, and at least 104 in Helmand province.

Only one coalition soldier was reported killed, and four were wounded during the fighting in Helmand.

U.S. Army Major Chris Belcher is the spokesman for coalition forces in Afghanistan. He says the success of the Helmand operation is a testament⁷ to how far the Afghan national army has come in the war against extremists.

"The Taleban are trying to take a stand," he said. "The Afghan national army is out there, going after the Taleban and ensuring us that the Taleban have no safe areas in southern Afghanistan."

civilian8, who was allegedly killed by NATO forces during pre -dawn raid in Sanzari village of Kandahar Province, 26 Sep 2007" hspace="2" src="http://www.wwenglish.com/up06/2007/09/20805/3b.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Afghan men pray near grave of civilian, who was allegedly killed by NATO forces during pre -dawn raid in Sanzari village of Kandahar Province, 26 Sep 2007

Violence has increased in Afghanistan over the past 18-months as Taleban insurgents try to re-take lost territory from Afghan and coalition forces. Thousands have been killed in the fighting, the bloodiest⁹ in the six years since the overthrow¹⁰ of the Taleban.

Victoria Nuland, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, told reporters Tuesday that officials recognize there has been an increase in "terror tactics" such as kidnappings and improvised¹¹ explosive devices. However, she says these are the tactics of a desperate enemy, not one who is taking territory.

"If you look at where we were a year ago, where we were fighting fiercely outside of Kandahar and some were predicting that Kandahar would fall," she said. "And, then as we headed into winter and the Taleban was planning some grand spring offensive where it was going to take mass swaths of territory in the south and east of Afghanistan, we are in far better shape today. And, it is the Taleban who are on the ropes."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai received renewed international support when he told the United Nations this week that terrorism is on the rise. He said Afghanistan is already pursuing peace talks with more moderate Taleban who have not joined terrorist networks such as al-Qaida.

The United Nations Security Council voted earlier this month to extend the mandate¹² of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan for another year.

1 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。

2 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

3 repelled   

v.击退( repel的过去式和过去分词 )；使厌恶；排斥；推开

参考例句：

• They repelled the enemy. 他们击退了敌军。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The minister tremulously, but decidedly, repelled the old man's arm. 而丁梅斯代尔牧师却哆里哆嗦地断然推开了那老人的胳臂。 来自英汉文学 - 红字

4 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

5 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

6 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。

7 testament   

n.遗嘱；证明

参考例句：

• This is his last will and testament.这是他的遗愿和遗嘱。
• It is a testament to the power of political mythology.这说明，编造政治神话可以产生多大的威力。

8 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

9 bloodiest   

adj.血污的( bloody的最高级 )；流血的；屠杀的；残忍的

参考例句：

• The Russians were going to suffer their bloodiest defeat of all before Berlin. 俄国人在柏林城下要遭到他们的最惨重的失败。 来自辞典例句
• It was perhaps the bloodiest hour in the history of warfare. 这也许是战争史上血腥味最浓的1个小时。 来自互联网

10 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

11 improvised   

a.即席而作的,即兴的

参考例句：

• He improvised a song about the football team's victory. 他即席创作了一首足球队胜利之歌。
• We improvised a tent out of two blankets and some long poles. 我们用两条毛毯和几根长竿搭成一个临时帐蓬。

12 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。