2006年VOA标准英语-Islamists Capture Another Town in Somalia

By Cathy Majtenyi
Nairobi
26 October 2006
 
The Islamic Courts Union has taken control of another town in Somalia, raising fears that scheduled peace talks between it and the transitional Somali government may not take place.

The town of Sakow, 170 kilometers southwest of Baidoa where the transitional Somali government is based, is under the control of the Islamic Courts Union.

The secretary general of the National Union of Somali Journalists, Omar Faruk Osman, describes to VOA what occurred late Wednesday in the agricultural town.

"The militias¹ of the Juba Valley Alliance, who is also [the militias of] the Minister of Defense² and the transitional government, withdrew from Sakow yesterday evening, and the militias of the Islamic Courts reached Sakow yesterday evening, peacefully," he said. "There was no fighting or confrontation³ between the militias."  

		Gunmen from Islamic Courts Union parade through town of Balad, north of Mogadishu, June 7, 2006

The courts first started its expansion back in June, when it took control of the capital Mogadishu. It has since captured much of southern Somalia, the most recent battles being in the towns of Burahakaba near Baidoa and the port of Kismayo.

Somalia's interim⁴ government and the Union of Islamic Courts have been trying to negotiate a peace agreement that would see some sort of a power-sharing arrangement between them.

The two met in Sudan last month and are scheduled to finalize⁵ their agreement on Monday.

But fears are increasing that the talks may not happen.

"As it seems now, both sides are mobilizing armies, both sides are planning to capture new areas. Instead of the dialogue expected to be held at the end of this month, I think that both sides are planning to go to war," said Omar Faruk Osman.

Meanwhile, tension is mounting over eyewitness⁶ reports that Somali and Ethiopian forces Wednesday were digging trenches⁷ at the entrance of the government's base in anticipation⁸ of a possible attack by the Islamists.

Since civil war broke out in 1991, militias loyal to clan⁹ and sub-clan-based factions¹⁰ have controlled different parts of the country, with no central authority to provide law and order and even basic services to the population.

A transitional Somali parliament was formed in Kenya more than a year ago following a peace process.

1 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

4 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

5 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

6 eyewitness   

n.目击者，见证人

参考例句：

• The police questioned several eyewitness to the murder.警察询问了谋杀案的几位目击者。
• He was the only eyewitness of the robbery.他是那起抢劫案的唯一目击者。

7 trenches   

深沟，地沟( trench的名词复数 )； 战壕

参考例句：

• life in the trenches 第一次世界大战期间的战壕生活
• The troops stormed the enemy's trenches and fanned out across the fields. 部队猛攻敌人的战壕，并在田野上呈扇形散开。

8 anticipation   

n.预期，预料，期望

参考例句：

• We waited at the station in anticipation of her arrival.我们在车站等着，期待她的到来。
• The animals grew restless as if in anticipation of an earthquake.各种动物都变得焦躁不安，像是感到了地震即将发生。

9 clan   

n.氏族，部落，宗族，家族，宗派

参考例句：

• She ranks as my junior in the clan.她的辈分比我小。
• The Chinese Christians,therefore,practically excommunicate themselves from their own clan.所以，中国的基督徒简直是被逐出了自己的家族了。

10 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别