VOA标准英语 Pakistan Reports Gains Against Militants

Pakistan's military said attack helicopters have killed more than 50 Taliban fighters in Buner district, which was overrun by militants² last week.
　
Pakistan's military spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas briefs media about recently launched military operation, 28 Apr 2009, in Rawalpindi

Just 24 hours after the Pakistani military launched the operation against an estimated 500 Taliban fighters in Buner, army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said troops have taken control of the main town of Dagar and several police stations.

"Security forces successfully secured Dagar by 0800 hours today and established linkages³ with the present police there and the Frontier Constabulary," he announced.

General Abbas said military jets first bombed militant¹ positions in the early stages of the operation Tuesday and then attack helicopters killed more than 50 fighters.

He said Taliban fighters are still in control of some police stations and are putting up what he called a fierce fight from some strategic mountain positions. He said at least one soldier has been killed and three wounded in the clashes.

Dozens of soldiers also are being held captive. General Abbas said 70 police and paramilitary troops were kidnapped from police stations Tuesday by Taliban fighters in Buner, but 18 of them have been recovered.

Residents in Buner contacted by VOA reported witnessing soldiers shooting to death one civilian⁴ who had disobeyed the 24-hour curfew imposed on the area.

One resident of a village just outside the main city Dagar, said that he has mainly seen helicopter gunships firing on militant positions.
　
A Pakistani army helicopter carrying injured troops flies at Umar Abad outside Buner, 29 Apr 2009

"We have not seen much military presence in the streets. Troops are on hill tops and from there they move to other areas," he said.

The witness said residents are generally neutral and neither support the Taliban nor the military offensive in Buner.

Pakistan's military has struggled to battle Taliban militants in the northwest in recent years, partly because of heavy casualties on civilian populations. Previous military operations have ended in truces⁵. Army officers have said collateral⁶ damage has turned the local population against the military.

Spokesman Abbas said militant tactics in Buner are aimed at increasing civilian deaths.

"We are operating against the miscreants⁷ who use innocent civilians⁸ as human shields. We are making all efforts to avoid collateral damage and displacement," he said.

U.S. officials, who have pressed their Pakistani counterparts to take more aggressive action against the Taliban, have welcomed the new military action. A Pentagon spokesman Tuesday called them "exactly the appropriate response" to recent Taliban offensives that have claimed more and more territory.

U.S. officials said they are considering a new aid package aimed at boosting the military's counterinsurgency capability⁹ and improving local governance.

It is unclear how many people in Buner have fled the recent army offensive. London-based human-rights organization Amnesty International estimates more than 30,000 people have fled the recent clashes. The organization said those people are joining an estimated 500,000 Pakistanis already displaced by the violence.
　
Pakistani soldiers fire heavy artillery¹⁰ towards Taliban hideouts in Lower Dir, 28 Apr 2009

In Lower Dir, where the military said it has taken control from militants after launching an operation on Sunday, the government has been dropping pamphlets urging people to return to their homes and resist the Taliban.

Local media reports said few Dir residents are taking up the offer to go back home.

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 linkages   

n.连接( linkage的名词复数 )；结合；联系；联动装置

参考例句：

• Only the thermosetting resins provide a strong cohesive forces; this is due to molecular cross linkages. 只有热固性树脂具有巨大的凝聚力，这是由于分子交错链所造成的。 来自辞典例句
• The linkages between the stable units must be as near as possible of equal stability. 稳定链节之间的键必须有尽可能接近的稳定性。 来自辞典例句

4 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

5 truces   

休战( truce的名词复数 )； 停战（协定）； 停止争辩（的协议）； 中止

参考例句：

• Previous military operations have ended in truces. 以往的军事行动都以停火而告终。
• Many blamed it on the army, which had made several truces with the militants in Malakand. 许多人把责任推给军队，这迫使巴军与马拉坎地区武装分子进行了好几次停战。

6 collateral   

adj.平行的；旁系的；n.担保品

参考例句：

• Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
• Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押，这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。

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 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。

9 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

10 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。