VOA标准英语10月-Pakistani Forces Capture Strategic Town-英语课

时间：2019-01-13 作者：英语课 分类：VOA标准英语2008年（十月）

英语课

Pakistani security forces say they have made significant gains in their ongoing 1 offensive in a tribal 2 region bordering Afghanistan. The two-month military operation in the Bajaur area, they say, has killed more than 1,500 militants 3 while 73 soldiers also have died. VOA's Ayaz Gul reports from the border village of Loisam the Pakistani military reclaimed 4 this week.
　

A Pakistani tank takes is seen advancing on a road in Loisam, in the Bajur tribal region, Pakistan, 25 Oct 2008

By taking the key settlement of Loisam in the troubled north-western region, Pakistani military authorities say they have dealt a severe blow to communication lines of militants linked to al-Qaida and Taliban in the Bajaur region. The village was completely destroyed after heavy fighting.

The operation in the region began in early August after several major attacks on the army.

The commander of the ongoing operation in Bajaur, Major-General Tariq Khan, told a group of local and foreign reporters on Saturday that troops were now in complete control of the town of Loisam. But he acknowledged the militants had been offering stiff resistance to his soldiers from their network of tunnels and fortified 5 compounds.

"It was a very unusual kind of battle," said General Khan. "It was not conventional. The resistance would dissolve in places wherever we would attack. It would regroup and reappear in the rear. This was facilitated by the underground tunnels that were made with caches of weapons that had been stored and placed all over."

Bajaur is one of the tribal areas on the Afghan border where the government has previously 6 had little influence. Taliban and al-Qaida raids into Afghanistan from this mountainous tribal region are regularly launched from here.

General Khan says that elimination 7 of militants from this agency will discourage militancy 8 in other tribal areas. "The worst is over and I think things from here onward 9 will be much easier. In my personal feeling, I think we have turned the corner," he said.

The Pakistani government is also encouraging tribesmen to revive traditional militias 10, known as lashkars, to rout 11 out militants in their areas. But General Khan rejected criticism that the militias could pose a threat to Pakistani authority once the militants are evicted 12. He also denied media reports the government is providing the Lashkars with weapons.

"We are not providing any weapons or any kind of support to the lashkars [tribal militias] and they are made up with their own resources," said General Khan. "It dissolves after if has met its objectives."

Pakistani authorities say that 300 foreign militants had been arrested during the offensive. Uzbeks, Tajiks and Afghans are among the detainees.

1 ongoing

adj.进行中的，前进的

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。

2 tribal

adj.部族的，种族的

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 militants

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

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。

4 reclaimed

adj.再生的；翻造的；收复的；回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救