VOA常速英语2014--Security Gaps Leave Room for al-Shabab Resurgence 安全漏洞为青年党死灰复燃提供了平台

 

Security Gaps Leave Room for al-Shabab Resurgence¹ 安全漏洞为青年党死灰复燃提供了平台

NAIROBI — The al-Qaida linked militant² group al-Shabab has struck at the heart of the Somali government with a string of suicide attacks in Mogadishu. The recent strikes and a fresh recruitment drive point to a resurgence of one of Africa's most feared terrorist groups.  

内罗毕报道——与基地组织相关的激进分子青年党，在摩加迪休采取了一系列自杀性袭击重挫了索马里政府。最近的罢工和成员吸纳，使得非洲很多令人生畏的恐怖组织死灰复燃。

Three years ago, the end of al-Shabab was thought to be in sight.

三年前，青年党被公认为结束了。

The group had been driven out of the Somali capital, Mogadishu, by the African Union force AMISOM, and was losing its grip on cities across the country.  

这个组织被非盟驻索马里特派团（AMISOM）武装力量逐出了索马里首都摩加迪休，且在整个国家失守了其控制的城市。

But then the fighting stopped. AMISOM has not taken any new ground from the militants³ since 2012, when Kenyan troops, later integrated into the AU force, took control of the port city of Kismayo.

之后战争停息了，但直到2012年AMISOM的军队尚未占领一些新的地区，之后肯尼亚军队集合成的非盟力量控制了港口城市吉斯马由。

During the lull⁴ in fighting, the group has only become more dangerous.

在战争暂归平静期间，基地组织只能变得越来越危险。

Suicide attacks against government targets in Mogadishu, like the February assault on the presidential palace that killed 17 people, have exposed security weaknesses in the capital.

针对政府以摩加迪休为目标的自杀性袭击，如同2月份发起的对总统官邸的猛烈冲击导致17人死亡，暴露了首都的安全漏洞。

While last year's days-long siege on the Westgate Shopping mall in the Kenyan capital showed al-Shabab remains⁵ a serious terrorist threat to the region.

去年持续数日对肯尼亚首都梅龙镇广场购物中心的围攻，体现了残存的青年党对这个地区依然存在了严重的恐怖威胁。

International Crisis Group Horn of Africa project director Cedric Barnes says the militants have also been adding to their ranks.

国际危机组织非洲之角项目负责人塞德里克·巴尔内斯表示，激进分子被加入了名单之列。

"They did do a lot of recruitment in the wider region over the past few years, there were several recruitment drives during 2013 both inside Somalia and elsewhere.  So we do not think they lack recruits at all," said Barnes.   

“过去几年内，他们在很大范围地区确实招募了很多新兵，2013年在索马里和其它国家都有几个招聘机构。所以，我们认为他们毫不缺少新兵。”

Meantime, the federal government has been unable to provide services in areas under militant control, which gives al-Shabab leverage⁶ over the populations it controls, says Barnes.

巴尔内斯说，其间对于激进分子控制的地区，联邦政府则无法提供服务，这让青年党制衡了民众。

"Shabab does not really have to try very hard to provide anything.  But I think it is important to acknowledge that while they do have a very brutal⁷ side and a side that can be deeply unpopular, they also do provide some very basic services, not just physical services, but and some mediation⁸ services that the state can not provide," said Barnes.  

青年党并不需要很努力去提供任何东西，但是需要认识到的很重要的一点是，他们确实很残忍而且很不得人心，他们也确实提供了一些基本服务，不仅仅是身体服务，还有一些政府难以提供的调解服务。巴尔内斯如是说。

A United Nations monitoring group estimates al-Shabab has about 5,000 members and operates from bases in southern Somalia.

联合国监测组预计与基地组织有关的青年党目前已有5000名成员，并从索马里南部的基地开始运作。

Horn of Africa analyst⁹ Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad, with Southlink Consultants¹⁰, says the group should be no match for an AMISOM force comprised of about 22,000 soldiers.

非洲之角分析人员阿迪瓦哈布·谢赫·阿迪萨布德和南联顾问们表示，该组织并不能够与非盟驻索马里特派团22000位士兵组成的武装力量抗衡。

"One thing I know, if AMISOM are serious about defeating al-Shabab they can do [it]," said Abdisamad. "But the question is, are they willing to do so?"

“据我所知，如果非盟驻索马里特派团（AMISOM）认真起来肯定可以打败青年党，”阿迪萨布德表示，“但上问题是，他们愿不愿意这样？”

The Somali government and AMISOM have announced plans to resume ground operations against the group in their remaining strongholds, but so far there has been no action.

索马里政府和非盟驻索马里特派团已经宣布其计划，恢复地面行动对抗青年党及其残存的据点，但目前为止尚未采取任何行动。

Abdisamad believes the AU force needs to develop a stronger game plan to target the group, and bring Somali forces up to the task of maintaining the peace.

"For the last couple of weeks, al-Shabab they are making havoc¹¹ in the security of Mogadishu," said Abdisamad. "If they do not have a strategy to defeat al-Shabab if they do not have an exit strategy so that they can train the Somali security apparatus¹² then, AMISOM, the sooner they leave the country the better."

“上两周，青年党破坏了摩加迪休的安全，”阿迪萨布德称，“如果他们没有打败青年党的策略，或者他们没有退步策略，他们可以运走索马里的安全装备，而非盟驻索马里特派团越早离开这个国家越好。”

 

While AMISOM may have the firepower to defeat al-Shabab, Somali government and U.N. officials have said a military victory alone will not be enough, and that more has to be done to establish government authority in liberated¹³ areas to avoid potential power vacuums.

非盟驻索马里特派团可能有军火可以打败青年党，但索马里政府和联合国军方称，军队的胜利远不够，更需要做的是在解放区建立政府机构，来避免潜在的权力之争。

1 resurgence   

n.再起，复活，再现

参考例句：

• A resurgence of his grief swept over Nim.悲痛又涌上了尼姆的心头。
• Police say drugs traffickers are behind the resurgence of violence.警方说毒贩是暴力活动重新抬头的罪魁祸首。

2 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。

3 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。

4 lull   

v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇

参考例句：

• The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
• Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

5 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。

6 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

7 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

8 mediation   

n.调解

参考例句：

• The dispute was settled by mediation of the third country. 这场争端通过第三国的斡旋而得以解决。
• The dispute was settled by mediation. 经调解使争端得以解决。

9 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

10 consultants   

顾问( consultant的名词复数 )； 高级顾问医生，会诊医生

参考例句：

• a firm of management consultants 管理咨询公司
• There're many consultants in hospital. 医院里有很多会诊医生。

11 havoc   

n.大破坏，浩劫，大混乱，大杂乱

参考例句：

• The earthquake wreaked havoc on the city.地震对这个城市造成了大破坏。
• This concentration of airborne firepower wrought havoc with the enemy forces.这次机载火力的集中攻击给敌军造成很大破坏。

12 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

13 liberated   

a.无拘束的，放纵的

参考例句：

• The city was liberated by the advancing army. 军队向前挺进，解放了那座城市。
• The heat brings about a chemical reaction, and oxygen is liberated. 热量引起化学反应，释放出氧气。