英闻天下——153 Algeria Hostages Reportedly Killed

 　　The Algerian army has reportedly managed to take control of a gas-field compound in the country's southern desert, after launching a raid to rescue the hostages held there by an armed group linked to al-Qaidajf.

 

　　There are conflicting reports as to the outcome of the raid.

 

　　Algeria Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia claims that the militants¹ who assaulted a gas- field in southern Illizi province were from Libya, and that 15 of them were killed in the assault.

 

　　Earlier, the Algerian news agency reported that four hostages have been freed, including two Britons, one Frenchman and a Kenyan national, while an unspecified number of people were killed in the rescue raid.

 

　　They also claim that nearly 600 Algerian workers held at the gas plant were released.

 

　　However, there are conflicting reports of heavy loss of life in the raid, with AP claiming that 35 hostages and 15 kidnappers² have been killed.

 

　　European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said they were working on getting verification about what happened during the operation.

 

　　"Information is coming in, we need to verify quite a lot of that information. And of course we are in touch with our member states who are most concerned about this, they have individuals there, and of course with Algeria itself. "

 

　　French President Francois Hollande said situation in Algeria further justifies³ intervention⁴ in Mali.

 

　　"What is happening in Algeria justifies even more the decision I took in the name of France to come and help Mali, in compliance⁵ with the charter of the United Nations and at the request of the president of the country."

 

　　The hostage-taking came after Islamists had vowed⁶ to retaliate⁷ for France's military intervention in Mali.

1 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。

2 kidnappers   

n.拐子，绑匪( kidnapper的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They were freed yesterday by their kidnappers unharmed. 他们昨天被绑架者释放了，没有受到伤害。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The kidnappers had threatened to behead all four unless their jailed comrades were released. 帮匪们曾经威胁说如果印度方面不释放他们的同伙，他们就要将这四名人质全部斩首。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 justifies   

证明…有理( justify的第三人称单数 )； 为…辩护； 对…作出解释； 为…辩解（或辩护）

参考例句：

• Their frequency of use both justifies and requires the memorization. 频繁的使用需要记忆，也促进了记忆。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• In my judgement the present end justifies the means. 照我的意见，只要目的正当，手段是可以不计较的。

4 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

5 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

6 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

7 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。