VOA标准英语2009-Pakistan Prepares New Offensive Against Tali

The Pakistani army says it has been ordered by the government to begin military operations against al-Qaida-linked Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, but authorities are not giving details of the operation.

Clashes have been reported between security forces and militants¹ in Baitullah Mehsud's base of South Waziristan for weeks, but the military repeatedly denied opening a new front in its campaign against Taliban militants.

On Tuesday, however, the army confirmed Sunday's comments by a provincial² governor that the military is preparing an all-out assault against Mehsud, leader of the banned group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Mehsud has claimed responsibility for a spate³ of recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, including the bombing of the luxury Pearl Continental⁴ Hotel in Peshawar and last week's suicide attack in Lahore that killed one of the country's most prominent and moderate religious scholars, Sarfraz Naeemi. He has also been blamed for the assassination⁵ of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The top army spokesman, Major General Athar Abbas, says the operation is in what he called "a preliminary phase." He revealed little about how troops would operate in the lawless and rugged⁶ terrain⁷ of South Waziristan.

"The operational details of how to target the network, the person himself, how the operation would unfold, these are necessary details [which] only at an appropriate time can be shared with the media," he said. "It would be premature⁸ to say anything regarding the operation or technical details."

Abbas refused to confirm or deny whether U.S. and NATO troops across the border in Afghanistan would help the Pakistani army against Mehsud.
　
Displaced children from Pakistan's Swat Valley wait to receive food at Shiekh Yasin camp in Mardan (File)

The army has targeted Mehsud several times in the past with little success, except for peace deals that have quickly broken down. The United States government calls him a key facilitator for al-Qaida terrorists and has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture.

There are concerns that new fighting in Waziristan will spark a flood of civilian⁹ refugees, similar to the displacement¹⁰ of more than 2.5 million people after the army started clearing northwestern Swat Valley and surrounding areas of militants. There have already been reports of people fleeing South Waziristan.

Abdur Rahim Mehsud, who is a member of Baitullah Mehsud's tribe in Waziristan, says the displacement of the local population has begun.

Mehsud estimates about a half a million people are on the move and many others are trapped. He says the area is under military assault and that homes have been destroyed. And Mehsud says, so far, the government has not provided any assistance or set up any camps.

Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira denied such reports during Tuesday's military briefing.

"There is no big movement of the people as you are mentioning, half a million, no. We are ready to cater¹¹ if any problems come like IDP's," he said. "We don't expect such a big number."

Meanwhile, the army is reporting progress in Swat Valley. It says electricity is being restored to the main town of Mingora and that surrounding areas, including Piochar and Shangla, are completely secured. Information Minister Kaira was so optimistic, he predicted people could begin returning to their homes within days.

1 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。

2 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

3 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

4 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

5 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

6 rugged   

adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的

参考例句：

• Football players must be rugged.足球运动员必须健壮。
• The Rocky Mountains have rugged mountains and roads.落基山脉有崇山峻岭和崎岖不平的道路。

7 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

8 premature   

adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的

参考例句：

• It is yet premature to predict the possible outcome of the dialogue.预言这次对话可能有什么结果为时尚早。
• The premature baby is doing well.那个早产的婴儿很健康。

9 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。

10 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。

11 cater   

vi.(for/to)满足，迎合；(for)提供饮食及服务

参考例句：

• I expect he will be able to cater for your particular needs.我预计他能满足你的特殊需要。
• Most schools cater for children of different abilities.大多数学校能够满足具有不同天资的儿童的需要。