VOA标准英语2014--极端组织伊希斯取得摩苏尔的控制权

 

ISIS Takeover in Mosul Displaces Thousands 极端组织伊希斯取得摩苏尔的控制权

NORTHERN IRAQ — The extremist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) seized control of the western half of Mosul, Iraq's second largest city on June 6.   Three days later,  Iraqi security forces retreated, leaving the entire city in the hands of the jihadis.  According to the U.N., up to half a million people have fled the city, raising concerns over a new humanitarian¹ crisis.

At 8:00 in the morning the crowds have already formed.  At the Kelek checkpoint, about 50 kilometers outside of Irbil, the capital of the autonomous² Kurdish region of Iraq, some families arrive before dawn.

Two days earlier the Jihadi group ISIS took over Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, sending hundreds of thousands of frightened residents fleeing for safety.

College student Abdulrahman Yaseen, fled with his family.

“I see everything is destroyed," Yaseen said. "Everything. Cars and homes and city. The whole city is destroyed.  All the city."

Further up the road outside the village of Shaquli, it’s easy to see what a destructive force the jihadis are.  Two days earlier, ISIS attacked an Iraqi Army checkpoint with car bombs so powerful the blast pushed the cars into a nearby graveyard³.

Aqil, a resident of the village saw the attack.

“There was a unit of the Iraqi Army as well as the Peshmerga [Kurdish fighters].  At 8pm the car bombs came and exploded. Nine people died.”

But, for some, like Mohammed, who fled with his daughter Dima, it’s not fear of the jihadis that’s making them leave.  It’s the Iraqi Army.  They are worried that the Iraqi military will retaliate⁴ as they have in Fallujah by bombing the city with artillery⁵ and mortars⁶.

“Two days ago the fighters came to the city, and the Iraqi army retreated without fighting," he said. "There’s no fighting now, but there was a speech from Maliki saying that he’ll come and retake the city. We fled because we’re afraid for our children and families.”

Back at the Kalek checkpoint, Kurdish security forces keep a controlling eye on those trying to come into the relative security of their autonomous region.  As most of the rest of the country slips into chaos⁷, the possibility of the Kurds extending that control is growing.

Who will eventually control Mosul is still not clear, but as the lines of refugees continue to grow, one thing is for certain: a new wave of violence has returned to Iraq.

1 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

2 autonomous   

adj.自治的；独立的

参考例句：

• They proudly declared themselves part of a new autonomous province.他们自豪地宣布成为新自治省的一部分。
• This is a matter that comes within the jurisdiction of the autonomous region.这件事是属于自治区权限以内的事务。

3 graveyard   

n.坟场

参考例句：

• All the town was drifting toward the graveyard.全镇的人都象流水似地向那坟场涌过去。
• Living next to a graveyard would give me the creeps.居住在墓地旁边会使我毛骨悚然。

4 retaliate   

v.报复，反击

参考例句：

• He sought every opportunity to retaliate against his enemy.他找机会向他的敌人反击。
• It is strictly forbidden to retaliate against the quality inspectors.严禁对质量检验人员进行打击报复。

5 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。

6 mortars   

n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵

参考例句：

• They could not move their heavy mortars over the swampy ground. 他们无法把重型迫击炮移过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Where the hell are his mortars? 他有迫击炮吗？ 来自教父部分

7 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。