2007年VOA标准英语-Fierce Fighting Continues at Lebanese Refugee C

By Margaret Besheer
Nahr el-Bared, Lebanon
01 June 2007

The Lebanese army used artillery¹ to bombard Islamic militants³ holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon Friday, as it intensified⁴ pressure on the militants to surrender. At least three Lebanese soldiers and an unknown number of militants were killed in the latest round of fighting, which began after the militants fired on Lebanese troops. From the outskirts⁵ of the camp, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more.

The Lebanese army began pounding the militants' positions in Nahr el-Bared early Friday.

Security officials say Lebanese artillery targeted two of Fatah al-Islam's main positions and the army destroyed several sniper positions the militants had established on the northern edge of the camp.

The sound of artillery fire rang out like thunder over the refugee camp for hours with little pause. The army and the militants also exchanged machine gun fire throughout the day. Steady plumes⁶ of dark smoke rose over the camp that used to be home to more than 40,000 Palestinian refugees.

The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that nearly 10,000 residents remain in the camp. The Lebanese Army has called on them not to shelter the militants.

Palestinian representative to Lebanon, Abbas Zaki, told al-Jazeera television that military action was limited to the camp's outer areas. He said there would be no storming of the camp's interior.

Dr. Ahmed Kheir, the founder⁷ and director of nearby El-Kheir hospital, says his facility is prepared should there be heavy casualties.

"We are prepared," he said. "Because you know, we are the nearest hospital here to the battle. We must be prepared. We are prepared by equipment and doctors and staff."

Lebanese army reinforces its positions around the Nahr el-Bared camp near Tripoli, Lebanon, 01 Jun 2007

Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora said earlier this week that the two-week-old crisis requires a peaceful solution that guarantees the eradication⁸ of the militant² group.

The government has demanded that Fatah al-Islam surrender and face justice and has already charged 20 captured fighters as terrorists. Fatah al-Islam says it will fight to the death.

At least twice during the day, the Lebanese Army sent tank and troop reinforcements toward the camp.

Journalists have been barred from entering Nahr el-Bared since fighting erupted on May 20. Friday afternoon, soldiers pushed reporters further back from their perches⁹ on the camp's outskirts.

1 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

2 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

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 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

6 plumes   

羽毛( plume的名词复数 )； 羽毛饰； 羽毛状物； 升上空中的羽状物

参考例句：

• The dancer wore a headdress of pink ostrich plumes. 那位舞蹈演员戴着粉色鸵鸟毛制作的头饰。
• The plumes on her bonnet barely moved as she nodded. 她点点头，那帽子的羽毛在一个劲儿颤动。

7 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

8 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

9 perches   

栖息处( perch的名词复数 )； 栖枝； 高处； 鲈鱼

参考例句：

• Other protection can be obtained by providing wooden perches througout the orchards. 其它保护措施是可在种子园中到处设置木制的栖木。
• The birds were hopping about on their perches and twittering. 鸟儿在栖木上跳来跳去，吱吱地叫着。