VOA慢速英语2016 美在叙利亚拉卡空袭伊斯兰国家（在线收听）

AS IT IS 2016-05-26 Airstrikes Hit Islamic State in Raqqa 美在叙利亚拉卡空袭伊斯兰国家

The U.S. led a group of planes on airstrikes Tuesday against Islamic State positions in Raqqa, Syria.

周二美国对叙利亚城市拉卡的IS据点进行空袭。

A British-based monitoring group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the attacks targeted IS on the outskirts of the city. This could have been to avoid civilian casualties, although civilian deaths were reported.

英国监管机构，叙利亚人权观察站，表示此次空袭打击目标为郊区的IS分子，这样可以避免平民伤亡，尽管最终有报道显示有平民牺牲。

IS has declared Raqqa its capital in Syria. Political activists in Raqqa say Islamic State is using innocent people as human shields. They say IS places fighters and weapons in civilian housing.

IS宣称拉卡为自己的首都。政治家表示IS用无辜的平民作为人肉挡箭牌。他们说IS在平民家中安置武装人员和武器。

The reports come a day after a group of Syrian militias backed by the U.S. moved against IS north of Raqqa. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced the move in a video posted online.

该报道出自由美国支持的叙利亚民兵部队靠近拉卡北部的IS据点之后的一天。库尔德人领导的叙利亚民主部队在网上发布的视频中宣称此次行动。

The SDF are made up of at least 25,000 Syrian Kurds, as well as 5,000 to 6,000 Syrian Arabs.

该部队由至少25,000叙利亚库尔德人组成，还有5至6千叙利亚阿拉伯人。

The new push against IS is on areas north of Raqqa, not the city, a senior commander for the U.S. allied group told VOA.

此次针对IS的行动在拉卡城市北部地区，并不在市内，一位来自美国联合集团的高级指挥官对美国之音表示。

The SDF commander said his troops were moving with tanks and other heavy weapons toward areas north of Raqqa.

自卫队指挥官表示他们在向拉卡北部进军时携带了坦克和其他重武器。

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported intense fighting between SDF and IS forces around villages about 56 kilometers north of Raqqa.

叙利亚人权观察站表示自卫队和IS部队在约拉卡北部56千米处展开激战。

Colonel Steve Warren is a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State. He said the coalition will support SDF, but U.S. Special Forces are giving assistance and advice, not fighters.

史蒂夫·沃伦上校是美国主导的对抗伊斯兰国家联盟的发言人。他表示联合政府将支持自卫队，特种部队将提供帮助和建议,而不是战士。

U.S. officials have downplayed expectations that forces will be able to capture Raqqa anytime soon.

美国官员表示不要对部队能及时赶到拉卡抱有高的期望。

A European diplomat told VOA the plan is to surround much of Raqqa and capture villages north, west and south of the city.

一位欧洲外交官告诉美国之音,计划是包围拉卡大部分，并占据村北、西部和南部的城市。

Hussam Eisa, from Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, said most civilians have fled those towns for Raqqa.

胡萨姆·伊萨(Hussam Eisa)来自拉卡市，拉卡正在遭遇无声的屠杀，他说多数村民早已逃出拉卡各镇。

In Washington, U.S. Senator John McCain told VOA's Azerbaijani Service that capturing Raqqa would be "very difficult."

在华盛顿，美国参议员约翰·麦凯恩(John McCain)对美国之音阿塞拜疆区表示攻下拉卡将会十分艰难。

“It is going to take a very big and important effort. [Islamic State] will not go down easy,” McCain said. “They will fight to retain their territorial capital.”

“打击IS并不容易，需要付出巨大的努力。”麦凯恩说，“他们将努力保护他们的领土。”

Words in This Story

outskirts – n. the outer parts of a city or town

human shield – n. a person or group held near potential targets to prevent attacks

liberate – v. to set people free from an occupation

civil war – n. a war between citizens of the same country

downplay – n. to make something appear less important, or minimize

territorial – v. relating to the ownership of an area of land