VOA常速英语2007年-New Attack in Mauritania Raises Fears of Terror
时间：2019-01-31 作者：英语课 分类：VOA常速英语2007年（十二月）
Dakar
28 December 2007
Mauritania is investigating a second deadly attack less than five days after four French tourists were killed. The government is blaming the killings 2 on a terrorist organization. In the latest attack, four soldiers were killed near the country's northern border. Naomi Schwarz has more from VOA's West and Central Africa bureau in Dakar.
Spokesman for Mauritania's Interior Minister Mohammed Lamine Shah confirmed there was an attack near a military post in remote northern Mauritania.
Shah says the investigation 3 has begun, but so far few details are known. He says that part of the country is vast and sparsely 4 populated and therefore hard to investigate.
News agencies are reporting a unit near the small El-Ghallawiya military base tried to intercept 5 two vehicles driving through the desert region. The cars fled and opened fire on the soldiers, killing 1 several and seizing their weapons.
The gunmen's identities are not yet known, but two years ago Islamic militant 6 terrorists killed 15 soldiers in the same region.
Local journalist Salem Bokari says some in the government are also linking this attack to terrorists.
"The prime minister of Mauritania, Zeine Ould Zeidane, told the deputies in the national assembly that the armed men are belonging to the terrorist group," Bokari said.
This is the second attack in Mauritania in less than a week. Mauritania law enforcement officials are working with counterparts in Mali and Senegal to track down three suspects in the last fatal shooting, that Mauritanian officials blame on a branch of al-Qaida based in neighboring Algeria.
Journalist Bokari says such attacks have been very rare in Mauritania in the past, but the two latest incidents indicate the situation is changing.
"Something is sure, this is the beginning of something," Bokari said. "This is a beginning of a very big challenge for Mauritanian security and armed services."
In just two weeks, hundreds of participants from the world-famous Dakar Rally will pass through Mauritania in the course of the two-week road race from Europe to Senegal.
Now, organizers have flown to Mauritania's capital, Nouakchott, to meet with government officials to go over safety precautions for the race.
Interior minister spokesman Shah says this week's violence should not interfere 7 with the rally. He says Mauritania has taken all possible measures to ensure the security of the rally, overseen 8 by a committee including the army, police, and rally organizers.
- 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。
- His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
- The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
- In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
- He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。
- Relative to the size, the city is sparsely populated. 与其面积相比，这个城市的人口是稀少的。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The ground was sparsely covered with grass. 地面上稀疏地覆盖草丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
- Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。
- 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。
- If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
- When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。