2006年VOA标准英语-Dozens Dead in Separate Iraq Attacks

By Margaret Besheer
Irbil, Iraq
23 July 2006

 
Iraqis gather around the site of a bomb blast, in the predominantly Shiite area of Sadr City, Baghdad, July 23, 2006 
  
More than 60 Iraqis have been killed after bomb attacks in a busy market and outside a town hall in the mostly Shiite Baghdad district of Sadr City. Elsewhere, in the northern city of Kirkuk, at least 20 people were killed when a car bomb exploded.

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Police in Baghdad say a mini-bus packed with explosives detonated at the Jamila market in the mostly Shiite enclave of Sadr City. It is the first day of the work week in Iraq and the market was packed with shoppers.

About two hours later, a second bomb exploded near the town hall, causing more casualties.

The attack in the market is the second major car bombing in Sadr City this month. On July first, an explosion killed 66 people, and set off a wave of reprisal¹ killings² of Sunnis by Shiite extremists seeking revenge.

Officials say the key to improving security is to rein³ in the sectarian militias⁴ and so-called death squads⁶ responsible for the attacks. Early Sunday, the U.S. military says coalition⁷ and Iraqi troops conducted two almost simultaneous raids in Baghdad targeting individuals involved in the operation of these death squad⁵ cells.

During one of the raids in the Sadr City area, troops freed two Iraqi hostages and detained eight insurgents⁸.

Meanwhile, in the northern ethnically-mixed city of Kirkuk, officials say the deadly car-bomb was the fourth attack this month in the city. Kirkuk is an oil-rich city where ethnic⁹ tensions run high among the city's Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen.

The escalating¹⁰ sectarian violence is expected to top the agenda this week when Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki meets President Bush at the White House.

1 reprisal   

n.报复，报仇，报复性劫掠

参考例句：

• There is no political alternative but a big reprisal.政治上没有旁的选择只能是大规模报复。
• They bombed civilian targets in reprisal.他们炮轰平民目标作为报复。

2 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

3 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

4 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

5 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

6 squads   

n.（军队中的）班( squad的名词复数 )；（暗杀）小组；体育运动的运动（代表）队；（对付某类犯罪活动的）警察队伍

参考例句：

• Anti-riot squads were called out to deal with the situation. 防暴队奉命出动以对付这一局势。 来自辞典例句
• Three squads constitute a platoon. 三个班组成一个排。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

9 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

10 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句