VOA标准英语2017--Hawija Liberated

 

On October 4th, the Iraqi Security Forces supported by the U.S.-led Global Coalition¹ to Defeat ISIS, liberated² the town of Hawija and over 150 surrounding villages from ISIS, along with as many as 85,000 civilians³ who had been trapped there. Hawija was the terrorist group's last stronghold in northern Iraq. ISIS has now lost control of almost all the territory it once held in Iraq, except for a small area in western Anbar along the Euphrates River Valley and out to al-Qaim, located on the Iraqi-Syrian border.

ISIS seized Hawija during its 2014 offensive in northern Iraq that also resulted in the fall of the strategically important cities of Sinjar, Tal Afar, and Mosul. By the end of 2014, ISIS declared Mosul to be its capital in Iraq.

To counter the terrorist group's rapid expansion and begin rolling it back, the United States and partner nations formed a global coalition that countered ISIS with a series of airstrikes in September 2014. Over the past three years, the Coalition liberated the captured cities, and destroyed ISIS in its safe havens⁴, hamstrung its capacity to generate revenue through theft of local resources, antiquities⁵, and oil, and hobbled its ability to recruit foreign fighters, move funds, and spread false propaganda over the internet and social media.

Ultimately, the Coalition's support enabled Iraqi Security Forces to take on ISIS and defeat the terrorist organization. Hawija is the latest ISIS-held city in Iraq to be liberated. A similar campaign is even now in progress in Syria, where U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are in the midst of an all-out assault on the city of Raqqa, ISIS's Syrian capital.

"The Iraqi Security Forces continue to prove they are a battle-hardened, professional force dedicated⁶ to ridding their country of an evil enemy," said the Coalition in a written statement.

"While the liberation of Hawija is a significant milestone⁷, an ISIS presence remains⁸ in Iraq, and the Coalition will continue to stand side-by-side with the ISF in their collective mission to defeat ISIS."

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 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。

3 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。

4 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网

5 antiquities   

n.古老( antiquity的名词复数 )；古迹；古人们；古代的风俗习惯

参考例句：

• There is rest and healing in the contemplation of antiquities. 欣赏古物有休息和疗养之功。 来自辞典例句
• Bertha developed a fine enthusiasm for the antiquities of London. 伯沙对伦敦的古迹产生了很大的热情。 来自辞典例句

6 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

7 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

8 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。