VOA常速英语2008年-Al-Qaida Commander Killed in Pakistan

By Ayaz Gul
Islamabad
01 February 2008

A leading al-Qaida operative apparently¹ was among those killed in Pakistan recently by a missile reportedly launched from a U.S. military drone. However, the Pakistani government says it does not know the source of the explosion or who was killed. The tribal² region where Abu Laith al-Libi was reportedly killed, has seen frequent militant³ attacks on security forces. As Ayaz Gul reports, another one took place on Friday killing⁴ at least four soldiers.

An Islamic extremist Web site reported the death of the top al-Qaida commander inside Pakistani territory and identified the man as Abu Laith al-Libi. The site did not give the cause of his death.

News reports have quoted unnamed American officials as confirming Libi was killed in a CIA air strike this week that targeted an al-Qaida hideout in the North Waziristan tribal region. The area is a known safe haven⁵ for terrorists and it borders Afghanistan.

The U.S. Department of Defense⁶ has not commented on the incident so far.

Pakistani tribesmen say the suspected U.S missile strike killed at least 12 militants⁷, including several Arabs and Central Asians.

However, government officials have been tight lipped about the incident.

But speaking to reporters in Islamabad on Friday, Interior Minister Hamid Nawaz Khan confirmed there was an explosion at a militant hideout near the town of Mir Ali on Monday night. He did not say what caused the blast.

The Pakistani minister says the house where the explosion occurred belonged to a Taliban militant and several people were killed in the incident.

But he says it is not possible to discuss the identity of those killed because other militants took their bodies to an unknown location before authorities arrived.

U.S officials have described Libi, a Libyan national, as one of the top al-Qaida operatives in Afghanistan, where thousands of American troops are trying to eliminate those terrorist forces.

Libi's name was included in a U.S list of 12 "most wanted" terrorists.

He was believed to have plotted a number of attacks against U.S and coalition⁸ forces, including last year's bombing at a U.S air base in Afghanistan that killed 23 people.

The attack occurred while U.S Vice⁹ President Dick Cheney was visiting the Bagram base.

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 haven   

n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所

参考例句：

• It's a real haven at the end of a busy working day.忙碌了一整天后，这真是一个安乐窝。
• The school library is a little haven of peace and quiet.学校的图书馆是一个和平且安静的小避风港。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

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 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。