VOA常速英语2008年-Iraq's Sadr Threatens Civil Revolt, Heavy Fight

By Challiss McDonough
Cairo
25 March 2008

Heavy fighting has been raging in Basra following a major pre-dawn offensive by thousands of Iraqi troops against Shi'ite militias² in the southern city.  Iraqi officials say at least 12 people have been killed and 18 wounded in the clashes, but the numbers could be higher.  Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr is threatening a campaign of "civil disobedience" if the crackdown on his militias continues.  VOA Correspondent Challiss McDonough has more from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

Iraqi security forces and Shi'ite militias fought fierce gun battles on the streets of Basra after Iraqi troops launched a pre-dawn offensive to crack down on armed groups in the southern city.

Residents of Basra said they could hear explosions and automatic weapons fire throughout the day, and columns of black smoke were seen rising above the city.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki went to Basra on Monday to personally supervise the security operation, which targeted districts in central and northern parts of the city, strongholds of the Mehdi Army militia¹ led by Shi'ite cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr.

The prime minister issued a statement saying the offensive was targeting "outlaws³" in Basra and was designed to bring the southern city under government control.

But Sadrist lawmakers and officials denounced the offensive and said they felt the government is targeting the Sadr organization, which is a powerful political force in southern Iraq.

The cleric's aide Hazem Al-Aaraji read a statement on behalf of Sadr, demanding and end to the operation.

He said Sadr's group was calling for a nationwide strike, and then if the Iraqi government does not comply, he said, "the second step will be civil disobedience in Baghdad and other provinces."  He said after that would come a "third step," but did not say what it would be.

Moqtada al-Sadr recently renewed a cease-fire that he originally ordered in August, instructing his powerful militia not to attack U.S. or Iraqi security forces.  The cease-fire is seen as a major contributor to the reduction in violence in Iraq over the last year.

U.S. and Iraqi officials say they are not interested in fighting the overall Sadr organization, only what they call "rogue⁴ elements" who are refusing to obey the cease-fire.

British troops handed control of Basra province over to Iraqi security forces in December and were not taking part in the operation, dubbed⁵ "Charge of the Knights⁶."

Clashes were also reported in the city of Kut.  Overnight curfews were being imposed elsewhere in central and southern Iraq, including Kut and Nasiriya.

Angry protesters took to the streets in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, a sprawling⁷ slum that is a Mehdi Army stronghold.  Shops and businesses were reported to be closed throughout the neighborhood, with some residents saying they were too afraid of unrest to leave their homes.

1 militia   

n.民兵，民兵组织

参考例句：

• First came the PLA men,then the people's militia.人民解放军走在前面，其次是民兵。
• There's a building guarded by the local militia at the corner of the street.街道拐角处有一幢由当地民兵团守卫的大楼。

2 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

3 outlaws   

歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯

参考例句：

• During his year in the forest, Robin met many other outlaws. 在森林里的一年，罗宾遇见其他许多绿林大盗。
• I didn't have to leave the country or fight outlaws. 我不必离开自己的国家，也不必与不法分子斗争。

4 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

5 dubbed   

v.给…起绰号( dub的过去式和过去分词 )；把…称为；配音；复制

参考例句：

• Mathematics was once dubbed the handmaiden of the sciences. 数学曾一度被视为各门科学的基础。
• Is the movie dubbed or does it have subtitles? 这部电影是配音的还是打字幕的？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

7 sprawling   

adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着）

参考例句：

• He was sprawling in an armchair in front of the TV. 他伸开手脚坐在电视机前的一张扶手椅上。
• a modern sprawling town 一座杂乱无序拓展的现代城镇