VOA标准英语2009年-Rebel Attacks Advance Deeper into Senegal

By Ricci Shryock
Dakar
13 October 2009

 
Rebel attacks in the Casamance region of Senegal are moving deeper into the interior of the country. This week's most recent violence occurred north of the regional capital of Ziguinchor.

Rebels in Senegal's southern Casamance region appear to be growing bolder and moving farther north into the interior of the country with their increasing attacks.

On Saturday, rebels attacked a service station near a military camp 30-kilometers north of the regional capital Ziguinchor. Monday, rebels killed two civilians¹ in an attack 80 kilometers northwest of Ziguinchor.

Pape Cheikh Diédhiou, a man who was hurt in Saturday's attack, said he was passing the service station when men in plainclothes told him to stop.

He said he was on a motorbike and when he passed the men, they shot at him. He was shot in the shoulder. He said the men were speaking both Wolof and Dioula, regional Senegalese languages.

The rebels are part of a group known as the Casamance Movement of Democratic Forces. The rebels originally formed in 1982 as a separatist movement of ethnic² Dioula fighting for greater autonomy from the government in Dakar. A peace accord was signed in 2004, but rebels have recently stepped up attacks. The violence is some of the worst the region has seen since 2002.

Earlier this month, rebels ambushed³ a group of Senegalese military near the country's southern border, killing⁴ six Senegalese soldiers. It was one of the deadliest attacks against Senegalese troops in recent years and came a day after gunmen killed one person and wounded three others in an attack on a taxi in the region.
More than 1,000 residents have fled the area.
 
Last month, Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade⁵ promised to continue with peace efforts in the region. But he added he thought peace had been achieved with the 2004 accords. The rebellion is one of Africa's longest-running conflicts.

 

1 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

2 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。

3 ambushed   

v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The military vehicles were ambushed. 军车遭到伏击。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。