VOA标准英语2009-6 Killed in Fighting Near Somalia Capital

At least six people have been killed in fighting between Islamist militants¹ and government forces north of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Since insurgents³ launched a new offensive in early May, Somalia has seen nearly daily clashes between the two sides.
　
Islamist insurgent² fighters near Mogadishu, 1 Jun 2009

A spokesman for the al-Shabab Islamist insurgent group, Ali Muhamud Rage, said the group had captured a key checkpoint near the village of Galgalato, on a main road leading north out of Mogadishu.

In the early morning, he said, al-Shabab fighters took control of the area from apostates⁴. He said the insurgents seized several weapons and three vehicles from government forces.

A spokesperson for the Somali government has denied the Galgalato checkpoint was captured.

Hundreds killed

More than 200 people have been killed since the latest wave of fighting between insurgents and pro-government forces began in early May. The United Nations says more than 120,000 people have fled their homes, a concentration of displacement⁵ that is unprecedented⁶ in recent years.

The insurgents militias⁷, including al-Shabab and Hizbul Islam, say the fragile, internationally backed government of President Sheik Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is not committed to Islamist principles and is too close to the United States and Ethiopia.

Insurgents reject Sharia law

President Ahmed, a moderate Islamist and former insurgent leader, has introduced Sharia law in the country, a move that has earned support from many Islamic leaders but has been rejected as not enough by the insurgents.

The insurgents are also opposed to the presence of African Union peacekeepers in the country. There are about 4,000 Ugandan and Burundian peacekeepers in the capital.

Peacekeeping mission in question

On Monday, the African Union extended the mission's mandate⁸ to mid-January. The African Union has asked the United Nations to take over responsibility for peacekeeping, but the United Nations has said the security situation in the country remains⁹ too fragile.

The African Union also criticized the presence of foreign fighters within the insurgency¹⁰. Al-Shabab has ties to al-Qaida and numerous fighters from other countries are believed to have entered the country.

Meanwhile, the U.N. World Food Program says it has started an investigation¹¹ into reports that food aid to Somalia has been resold, rather than distributed. There have been reports that corn, oil and wheat meant to be distributed to displaced people has turned up for sale in Mogadishu markets. A trader told British Channel Four television that he bought food directly from WFP workers.

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 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

3 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

4 apostates   

n.放弃原来信仰的人( apostate的名词复数 )；叛教者；脱党者；反叛者

参考例句：

5 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。

6 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

7 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

8 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。