From VOA Learning English, this is IN THE NEWS in Special English.
这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。

France joined African forces this week in an effort to oust Islamic militants in northern Mali. The militants have progressively moved south. At the request of the Malian government, France earlier launched an air offensive against the militants. France is Mali's former colonial ruler.
法国本周加入了非洲军队的行列，致力于推翻马里北部的伊斯兰武装分子，这些武装分子已经逐渐向南部移动。在马里政府的请求下，法国此前对这些武装分子发动了空袭。法国是马里的前殖民统治者。

Then France launched a ground offensive, along with forces of Mali and the Economic Community of West African States, called ECOWAS. Islamic extremists seized control of northern Mali after Malian soldiers ousted the government last March.
法国与马里及西非国家经济共同体（简称ECOWAS）的军队一起展开了地面进攻。去年三月马里士兵推翻政府后，伊斯兰极端分子夺取了马里北部的控制权。

French troops have faced strong resistance from the Islamic force, said to be a well-organized coalition of militant groups. One of the Islamist groups leading the coalition is Ansar Dine, which means "Defenders of Faith." The group follows a form of Islam known as Salafism. It seeks to rule Mali under a severe form of Sharia law.
法国军队遭遇了伊斯兰力量的顽强抵抗，据说这是一个组织严密的武装组织联盟。领导该联盟的伊斯兰组织之一是伊斯兰卫士（Ansar Dine），意为信仰的捍卫者。该组织信奉一种被称为沙拉菲主义的伊斯兰教，寻求依据一种严厉的伊斯兰教法来统治马里。

Ansar Dine had joined with ethnic Tuareg rebels last April to oust government forces in northern Mali. In June, Ansar Dine turned its weapons against the lesser-armed Tuareg fighters and seized control of the area.
伊斯兰卫士去年四月曾联手图阿雷格族反政府武装推翻了马里北部的政府军队。到了六月份，伊斯兰卫士将枪头转向武装弱势的图阿雷格族战士，夺取了该地区控制权。

Since taking over the north, the group has joined forces with two area militant groups. They are al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa.
自从接管北部以来，该组织已经联合了两个地区武装组织。它们分别是伊斯兰马格里布基地组织和西非圣战统一运动。

The Islamists have used several methods to develop into a fighting force that surprised French officials with its skills. An expert at the Washington-based Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Bill Roggio, said the militants secured their weapons from neighboring Libya.
这些伊斯兰教徒使用数种方法发展成为战斗力量，其本事惊住了法国官员。总部位于华盛顿的保卫民主基金会的专家比尔·罗吉奥（Bill Roggio）表示，这些武装分子从邻国利比亚获得了他们的武器。

Mister Roggio also said the militants seized rocket launchers and armed vehicles from the Malian army. The militants have earned millions of dollars by kidnapping foreigners and taking part in the drug trade.
罗吉奥先生还表示，这些武装分子从马力军队缴获了火箭炮和装甲车。这些武装分子通过绑架外国人和参与毒品交易已经赚取了数百万美元。

In November the African Union approved plans for a West African military force to deploy to Mali. The plans were approved in December by the United Nations Security Council. France says 1,400 French soldiers were deployed to Mali. More than 1,000 more are expected in the next few days.
去年11月，非盟批准了西非军事力量部署到马里的计划。该计划于12月获得了联合国安理会的批准。法国表示已经有1400名法国士兵被部署到马里，预计未来数天还会增加1000多名法国士兵。

Armed vehicles arrived earlier this week from Ivory Coast. On Thursday, 100 soldiers from Togo also arrived. The Togolese were the first of the West African forces to come to Mali. ECOWAS plans to send as many as 3,300 troops into the nation.
本周早些时候，来自象牙海岸的装甲车抵达马里。来自多哥的00名士兵周四也已抵达。多哥是首支到达马里的西非军队。西非国家经济共同体计划派遣多达3300名士兵进入马里。

Islamic militants made gains by capturing the southern and central towns of Diabaly and Konna. On Friday, the Malian army and French officials reported that Malian troops regained control of the town of Konna.
伊斯兰激进分子的战果包括夺取了南部和中部城镇迪亚巴雷(Diabaly)和孔纳(Konna)。周五，马里军队和法国官员报告称，马里军队重新控制了孔纳镇。

The U.N. refugee agency says it expects up to 700,000 more people to flee their homes in Mali because of the fighting. Helene Caux, a spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR in West Africa says she hears reports that many people are fleeing the conflict.
联合国难民机构表示，他们估计会有70多万人因为战争逃离自己在马里的家园。联合国难民署（UNHCR）西非办事处发言人Helene Caux表示，她听到很多报道称，许多人正在逃离这次冲突。

"What we have at the moment are testimonies from people who are crossing to Burkina (Faso), to Niger, to Mauritania and what they are telling us is that more people are on their way. Actually, more people are on their way by foot."
“我们此刻得到了正穿越边境进入布基纳法索、尼日尔和毛里塔尼亚的人们的证言，他们告诉我们的是更多人在路上。实际上，更多人正步行在路上。”

THE U.N. refugee agency says it is working hard to increase help for the growing numbers of refugees and people displaced inside the country.
这家联合国难民机构表示他们正在努力提高对越来越多的难民及国内流离失所的人们的帮助。