VOA常速英语2008年-Suicide Bombing Kills at Least 40 Shi'ite Pilgr

By Daniel Schearf
Irbil
24 February 2008

A suicide bomber¹ Sunday killed at least 40 Iraqi Shiite pilgrims and wounded 60 more as they were headed south to mark a Shiite religious holiday. Earlier in the day at least three pilgrims were killed in Baghdad despite officials saying security has improved. Daniel Schearf reports from the northern Iraqi city of Irbil.

Police say the bomber detonated in a tent full of Shiite pilgrims in the town of Iskandariyah Sunday as they were stopping for refreshments². Women and children were among the casualties.

The military says the attack took place on a two-lane highway south of Baghdad leading to the southern city of Karbala.

Earlier in the day at least three other Shiite pilgrims were killed and more than 30 wounded in separate Baghdad attacks as they prepared to leave for Karbala. Police said pilgrims were hit with a roadside bomb and fired on by gunmen.

This eyewitness³ described what happened.

He says as they were going to the holy shrine⁴ of Imam Hussein for the pilgrimage, gunmen opened fire on them in Dora, a Baghdad neighborhood. He asks why they would do that to innocent and peaceful people.

Tens of thousands of Shiite pilgrims are making their way to Karbala to commemorate⁵ Arbaeen. The Shiite ceremony marks the end of a 40-day mourning period over the death 13 centuries ago of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Hussein.

Sunni militants⁶ consider Shiites heretics and often target Shiite pilgrims traveling for religious observances. Scores were killed during last year's pilgrimage.

The attacks occurred despite stepped-up security measures around Baghdad and Karbala aimed at preventing attacks on pilgrims.

The police chief of Karbala had deployed⁷ 40,000 officers to secure the city.

Iraq's Interior Minister Jawad Polani on Saturday evening toured security checkpoints around the south of Baghdad. He declared roads connecting to the city from the south safe for travel.

Millions of Shiites are expected in Karbala for the commemoration Wednesday.

1 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

2 refreshments   

n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待

参考例句：

• We have to make a small charge for refreshments. 我们得收取少量茶点费。
• Light refreshments will be served during the break. 中间休息时有点心供应。

3 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。

4 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。

5 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。

6 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。

7 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。