VOA标准英语2008年-Pro-Taliban Militants Release Kidnapped Pakista

By Barry Newhouse
Islamabad
17 May 2008

Pakistani officials say militants² have released the country's ambassador to Afghanistan after holding him for more than three months. VOA's Barry Newhouse reports from Islamabad the release came during ongoing³ talks between government officials and pro-Taliban militants.

Pakistani officials confirmed Tariq Azizuddin was freed unharmed on Saturday but declined to discuss the circumstances of his release. His younger sister told reporters that the family is concerned about the 56-year-old diplomat's health after more than three months in captivity⁴, but they will be happy when he finally returns home.

"We are really grateful to all of the government officials who have helped to bring this thing to an end," she said.

Tariq Azizuddin, his driver and a bodyguard⁵ were kidnapped February 11 in the Khyber tribal⁶ region near the Afghan border. Pakistani security officials have said the men were initially⁷ kidnapped by a local tribal group but were then later turned over to Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan. Four weeks ago, Azizuddin appeared in a militant¹ video pleading with Pakistani officials to meet his captors demands.

Pakistan's government has been negotiating with Mehsud and other militants on a peace agreement aimed at halting militant attacks inside Pakistan. In the past week, the Pakistani government has released imprisoned⁸ Pakistani militants in exchange for kidnapped soldiers.

U.S. and NATO officials have expressed concern a peace agreement will give the militants room to broaden attacks on NATO and Afghan forces across the border in Afghanistan. This week NATO officials reported a sharp rise in militant attacks in April. They said the alliance will soon discuss the issue of militant safe havens⁹ in Pakistan with the Pakistani government.

1 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。

2 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。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 captivity   

n.囚禁；被俘；束缚

参考例句：

• A zoo is a place where live animals are kept in captivity for the public to see.动物园是圈养动物以供公众观看的场所。
• He was held in captivity for three years.他被囚禁叁年。

5 bodyguard   

n.护卫，保镖

参考例句：

• She has to have an armed bodyguard wherever she goes.她不管到哪儿都得有带武器的保镖跟从。
• The big guy standing at his side may be his bodyguard.站在他身旁的那个大个子可能是他的保镖。

6 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。

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

9 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网