VOA标准英语2010年-Yemeni Soldiers Killed in Offensive Ag

Yemen's government says four of its soldiers have been killed in a continuing offensive against suspected members of al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The government has laid siege to a southern town in a bid to capture the suspects, thought to number in the dozens.

The offensive is among the most sustained against the militants², who apparently³ retain control of at least parts of the southern town of Howta.

Thousands of people were able to flee before the attack got under way Monday, but the government alleges⁴ some remain and are being used by militants as human shields.

The town is in the southern province of Shabwa, where American-Yemeni cleric Anwar al-Awlaki is believed to be hiding. Government officials say they do not think the cleric, linked to several terrorist attacks and on a U.S. kill or capture list, is among those in Howta.

There have been reports the offensive began in retaliation⁵ for a militant¹ attack on a natural gas pipeline⁶ in Shabwa, but the area is for the most part off limits to reporters and the reports could not be confirmed.

The campaign coincides with a visit Monday by White House counterterrorism advisor⁷ John Brenner. The United States has stepped up its support of the Yemeni government in its fight against al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, since it was linked to a failed attempt to blow up an American airplane late last year.?

Stephen Steinbeiser is the director of the American Institute for Yemeni Studies in Sana'a. "I will be surprised if the timing⁸ was deliberately⁹ set for the days that the official was actually in the country. Normally these things happen a day or two before or after, but it is usually not to the advantage of an American officials to come into Yemen when there are actual open conflicts going on in the country," he said.

In the past, witnesses to U.S.-backed anti-militant attacks say the strikes have also killed civilians¹⁰.

The fight against al-Qaida is just one of several in which Yemeni President Ali Abudullah Saleh is engaging. Shabwa is also home to the secessionist Southern movement.? And in the north, the government has been fighting rebels on and off for several years. Vast areas of the country are largely beyond government control.

Political analyst¹¹ Steinbeiser says the general discontent is symptomatic of the major economic and social problems in Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world.

"Until the people begin to feel calmer and begin to feel there is more stabilization¹², then I think groups like al Qaida will continue to have great influence, especially among the youth," he said.

Steinbeiser says the government would do better to broaden the scope of its anti-terrorism campaign to include improving the economy and the education system.
 

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 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。

4 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。

5 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

7 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

8 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

9 deliberately   

adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地

参考例句：

• The girl gave the show away deliberately.女孩故意泄露秘密。
• They deliberately shifted off the argument.他们故意回避这个论点。

10 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。

11 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

12 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。