AS IT IS 2016-02-22 Despite Talks, Bombs in Syria Kill 60

AS IT IS 2016-02-22 Despite Talks, Bombs in Syria Kill 60

Despite a cease-fire, at least 60 people were killed in Syria in two attacks Sunday.

A double bombing in Homs early Sunday killed up to 60 people. Later, a series of attacks hit Sayeda Zeinab, south of Damascus.

Few details were available on the later blasts. The Syrian Observatory¹ reported four explosions. Hezbollah's Al Manar TV said 22 people were killed.

Last month, explosions near a Shi'ite shrine² in the same area killed at least 60 people.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Sunday that an agreement was made with Russia for a cease-fire in Syria's five-year civil war.

But with these attacks, violence continues.

The main rebel group in Syria said it is willing to accept a temporary truce³ if Russia halts airstrikes and the Damascus government ends its assault near the Syrian-Turkish border.

Russia has said it will not stop its airstrikes against what it calls terrorist targets in Syria. Diplomats⁴ call the truce a "cessation of hostilities⁵."

The United States and others involved in trying to end the Syrian civil war said most Russian bombs are directed at rebels fighting the Syrian government, not at Islamic State terrorists.

Words in This Story

cease-fire - n. to stop fighting

1 observatory   

n.天文台，气象台，瞭望台，观测台

参考例句：

• Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
• Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。

2 shrine   

n.圣地，神龛，庙；v.将...置于神龛内，把...奉为神圣

参考例句：

• The shrine was an object of pilgrimage.这处圣地是人们朝圣的目的地。
• They bowed down before the shrine.他们在神龛前鞠躬示敬。

3 truce   

n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束

参考例句：

• The hot weather gave the old man a truce from rheumatism.热天使这位老人暂时免受风湿病之苦。
• She had thought of flying out to breathe the fresh air in an interval of truce.她想跑出去呼吸一下休战期间的新鲜空气。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。