Victories Noted in Fight Against Islamic State Group

Victories Noted¹ in Fight Against Islamic State Group

Iraqi and Kurdish forces supported by United States’ airstrikes have regained² territories controlled by Islamic State militants³ in the past month.

The U.S. military believes the loss of leadership is one of the reasons the group has lost many recent battles. Coalition⁴ airstrikes have killed 10 of the IS group leaders. Some of them planned the attacks in Paris that took place in November. Others were planning attacks on other Western targets.

This week, the U.S. military confirmed that an alliance of Kurdish, Christian⁵, Arab and other local forces recaptured the Tishrin hydroelectric dam from the militants. The dam, on the Euphrates River near Aleppo, is part of an important communications route for the IS group. The dam also provides much of the power for northern Syria.

Earlier, the alliance also recaptured more than twenty cities, south of the Syrian city of Kobani, from IS militants.

IS lost control of Ramadi

The Islamic State group has also suffered defeat in the important Iraqi city of Ramadi. The mostly Sunni city was the center of the IS group’s control of much of western Anbar province.

Iraqi military officials said Iraqi forces with some help from Sunni tribal⁶ fighters recaptured most of the city this week from the Islamic State militants. A U.S. military spokesman said there had been more than 600 airstrikes around Ramadi during the past six months to provide support.

American officials, however, are not prepared to claim victory in Ramadi. One official said it is “too early to call it a total defeat” of the terrorists. The official said it is “more appropriate to call it a strategic step in the right direction.”

In 2006 and 2007, Sunni tribal forces were a major reason for the success of attacks by U.S. forces on al-Qaida fighters in the area. Iraqi and U.S. officials said the Sunni fighters now controlling Ramadi had a minor⁷ role in its recapture. Experts believe local forces must be able to defend the area if the Islamic State group is to be defeated.

Michael Pregent is a former U.S. military intelligence officer and advisor⁸. He said it will not be clear who has won in Ramadi for at least another six months to a year. He said “it is not just the destruction of the city that is a victory -- you have to resettle the population and bring economic stimulus⁹, provide security.”

He added that the city has been destroyed. “There is no intact building left, there is little infrastructure¹⁰ that is inhabitable. You can’t go there tomorrow and open a store…”

It is not known what happened to the hundreds or even thousands of civilians¹¹ who were trapped in the city.

Iraqi plan after Ramadi

Iraqi government leaders said their forces will soon attack the Islamic State group in Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city. Sunnis are a majority of the population there. The militants have controlled Mosul since June, 2014. At that time, IS quickly advanced on and took control of large areas of northern and western Iraq and eastern Syria.

Kurdish forces have defeated Islamic State terrorists to the north and east of Mosul. But they do not want to advance beyond territory they have traditionally lived in.

Iraqi Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said the country needs the Kurds to help retake Mosul. He told the Reuters news agency that they are a “major force” and will be necessary in that battle.

Long-term prospect¹² for Iraq

Top Iraqi politicians and experts said if the country’s Sunni Muslim population is not empowered, the Islamic State group will not be defeated.

Many Sunnis do not believe Iraq’s majority Shi’ite-led government respects them. Shi’ites have led Iraq since 2005. Many Sunnis have become Islamic State militants.

Ayad Allawi is a former vice¹³ president of Iraq. He said that victory will not last very long because “there has been no progress on reconciliation¹⁴. The conditions fostering terrorism will remain if the government does not embark¹⁵ on reform and reconciliatory efforts to engage marginalized Iraqis into an all-inclusive political process based on the rule of law, justice and civil state building.”

Allawi told VOA that “without a political strategy, there is only a military victory.”

Words in The News

appropriate –adj. right or suited to come purpose

strategic –adj. of or related to a general plan related to a goal

stimulus –n.  an action or plan that causes growth or development

intact –adj. not broken, having every part, whole

infrastructure –n. the basic structures and equipment needed for a country, area or organization to operate

inhabitable –adj. able to be lived in

foster –v. to help something or someone grow and develop

embark on –v. to begin a journey

reconciliatory –adj. related to causing two people or groups to become friendly after a disagreement

engage –v. to get and keep someone or a group’s attention, to be involved in

marginalized –adj. to put in a powerless or unimportant position

all-inclusive –adj. to include everything or everyone

1 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

2 regained   

复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地

参考例句：

• The majority of the people in the world have regained their liberty. 世界上大多数人已重获自由。
• She hesitated briefly but quickly regained her poise. 她犹豫片刻，但很快恢复了镇静。

3 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。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• 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。

7 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

8 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。

9 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。

10 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

11 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。

12 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

13 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

15 embark   

vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机

参考例句：

• He is about to embark on a new business venture.他就要开始新的商业冒险活动。
• Many people embark for Europe at New York harbor.许多人在纽约港乘船去欧洲。