VOA标准英语2010年-UN: Toll of Dead and Wounded Soaring i

The United Nations refugee agency expressed alarm at the further deterioration¹ of the situation in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.  The UNHCR reported that fighting between the transitional government and al-Shabab militia² over the past two weeks has taken a heavy toll³ on the civilian⁴ population.

 

Over the past two weeks of fighting, the U.N. refugee agency reported more than 230 civilians⁵ have been killed and at least 400 people wounded.

Furthermore, it says 23,000 people have fled their homes, adding to the more than 200,000 civilians who already have become displaced this year.

UNHCR spokeswoman, Melissa Fleming, says people are becoming increasingly trapped in a war zone.  She also said it is becoming more difficult and dangerous for people to flee from Mogadishu.

She said most of the people who manage to reach northern Somalia and neighboring countries are arriving on foot and in small buses.

"They tell our staff that the streets of Mogadishu are completely deserted⁶ and that people are too afraid to leave their houses," said Fleming.  "One woman actually who escaped told us that 'all you see in the streets are bodies of people killed by bullets or mortars⁷.'  In these dangerous and difficult conditions, aid distributions are becoming rare and those who venture out are really risking their lives."

The UNHCR spokeswoman said people who leave Mogadishu face new risks and difficulties on their way to Somalia's Puntland region or Ethiopia and Kenya.  She said some 7,300 Somalis have reached Yemen by boat this year.  This is only half the number, however, that made it to Yemen a year ago.

She said the situation is similar in Kenya.  She noted⁸ about 37,000 Somali refugees have arrived there this year, a much lower figure compared to last.

Fleming said, though, that 6,500 new Somali refugees arrived in Kenya in August, making this the highest monthly total since June.

"Those who do make it to the Kenyan border and register at the Dadaab refugee complex tell us that many people are staying inside the country in makeshift IDP (internally Displaced People) camps as they fear forced recruitment and abuse by militias⁹ operating in the south," said Fleming.  "In addition, there is no transport and, when there is, many cannot afford the trip to the border.  And, heavy rains there also have made many roads impassable."

UNHCR spokeswoman Fleming said Ethiopia is the only country in the region showing a continuing increase in the rate of Somali arrivals.  She said more than 20,000 Somalis have sought safety and shelter there this year, bringing the total Somali refugee population to almost 76,000.
 

1 deterioration   

n.退化；恶化；变坏

参考例句：

• Mental and physical deterioration both occur naturally with age. 随着年龄的增长，心智和体力自然衰退。
• The car's bodywork was already showing signs of deterioration. 这辆车的车身已经显示出了劣化迹象。

2 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 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。

5 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

6 deserted   

adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的

参考例句：

• The deserted village was filled with a deathly silence.这个荒废的村庄死一般的寂静。
• The enemy chieftain was opposed and deserted by his followers.敌人头目众叛亲离。

7 mortars   

n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵

参考例句：

• They could not move their heavy mortars over the swampy ground. 他们无法把重型迫击炮移过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Where the hell are his mortars? 他有迫击炮吗？ 来自教父部分

8 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

9 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网