VOA标准英语2008年-Pakistan Army Moves Against Pro-Taliban Militan

Security forces in Pakistan have begun an operation against pro-Taliban militants² in a tribal³ region bordering Afghanistan and serving as a major route for trade and supplies to U.S-led foreign forces based there. The offensive has provoked an al-Qaida-linked self-proclaimed commander of the Pakistani Taliban to suspend peace talks with the government. From Islamabad, Ayaz Gul has more details.
　
Pakistani paramilitary solider stands guard in Pakistan's tribal area of Khyber near Peshawar, 28 Jun 2008

Officials say paramilitary forces are leading the offensive in the Khyber tribal region and have destroyed key militant¹ bases without any significant resistance. They say that most of the militants have retreated to mountains close to the Afghan border.

The government began the crackdown following increased sightings of Taliban militants in parts of the nearby city of Peshawar, just two hours drive from the Pakistani capital.

In a major extremist action earlier this month in the northwestern city, suspected Taliban fighters briefly⁴ kidnapped some 16 members of the minority Christian⁵ community. There were also reports of militants warning traders against video and music business.

Regional police chief, Malik Naveed Khan, tells VOA that criminal gangs were behind the kidnapping and other incidents but, as he puts it, media blew them out of proportion. He says the operation in the adjoining Khyber tribal region is meant to punish tribal criminals responsible for these attacks. The police chief says security forces are focusing on the town of Bara, which borders Peshawar.

"There were only some incursions from the tribal gangs in which unfortunately some Christians⁶ were kidnapped who were immediately released within ten hours," he explained. "And after that we strengthened our positions on the [city] borders and after that no such incident has taken place. The government has launched an operation in Bara against these miscreants⁷, and they have successfully pushed them back and they have taken successful action against them."

Residents say that paramilitary soldiers have set up bunkers in areas of Peshawar close to the scene of military action and patrolled the streets in vehicles mounted with machine guns.

Saturday's anti-militant operation in the northwestern border region of Khyber marks the first major military action the new Pakistani government headed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has launched.

Speaking to reporters by telephone from his stronghold in the South Waziristan tribal region, self-proclaimed commander of Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, demanded the government immediately halt the security operation.

The militant leader says he is suspending peace talks with the government and his fighters will retaliate⁸ until the offensive is stopped.

Prime Minister Gilani started the peace dialogue with militants through tribal elders several months ago to try to end militancy⁹ and violence in tribal regions along the border with Afghanistan.

Commanders of the U.S.-led coalition¹⁰ forces and Afghan authorities have long maintained the Pakistani border regions are being used by Taliban and al-Qaida militants for attacks in Afghanistan. They have criticized the government's peace talks, saying such deals will lead to more attacks on Afghan and foreign forces.

1 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。

2 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。

3 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

4 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

7 miscreants   

n.恶棍，歹徒( miscreant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I ordered the miscreants to let me out. 我命令这些土匪放我出去。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Local people demanded that the District Magistrate apprehend the miscreants. 当地人要求地方法官逮捕那些歹徒。 来自辞典例句

8 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

9 militancy   

n.warlike behavior or tendency

参考例句：

• Full of militancy and revolutionary ardour, the people of all nationalities in the country are working hard for the realization of the four modernizations. 全国各族人民意气风发， 斗志昂扬，为实现四个现代化而奋战。
• The seniority system is another factor that leads to union militancy. 排资论辈制度也是导致工会好斗争的另一因素。

10 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。