新奇事件簿 美軍空襲伊拉克

The USA has started targeting forces of the Islamic State (IS) in northern Iraq. Several US air strikes have taken out heavy weaponry that the Islamic State captured from the Iraqi army. President Obama said the new attacks are to protect American residents in Erbil, the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region. IS recently changed its name from ISIS (the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria). The group now controls a quarter of Iraq (including the country's largest dam), and a third of Syria. Mr Obama made it clear that there would be no boots on the ground. He said: "Even as we support Iraqis as they take the fight to these terrorists, American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq."

美國開始攻擊伊拉克北部的伊斯蘭國家軍隊。美國的幾次空襲，摧毀了一些伊斯蘭國家從伊拉克軍隊掠奪的重武器。奧巴馬總統(tǒng)稱，新一輪的空襲是為了保護伊拉克庫爾斯坦自治區(qū)埃爾比勒城市內(nèi)的美國居民。最近，伊斯蘭國家更改了名字，原來的名字是伊拉克與敘利亞內(nèi)部的伊斯蘭國家。這一組織目前控制了伊拉克四分之一的地區(qū)(包括伊拉克最大的大壩)，以及敘利亞三分之一的地區(qū)。奧巴馬明確表示不會在地面上駐軍。奧巴馬稱，即使我們支持伊拉克是因為伊拉克也反抗這些恐怖分子，美國的作戰(zhàn)部隊也不會返回去在伊拉克境內(nèi)作戰(zhàn)。

Another reason for the air strikes on the IS is to protect Iraq's Yazidi people and other minority groups. The Yazidis are ethnically Kurdish. Their religion includes elements of Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Zoroastrianism. The IS told the Yazidis to convert to Islam, pay a tax, or face death. Earlier this week the UN warned of a humanitarian catastrophe with the possibility of ethnic cleansing at the hands of the IS. The IS have reportedly taken hundreds of Yazidi women hostage. Obama said the latest US military action is also, "a humanitarian effort to help save thousands of (Yazidis) who are trapped on a mountain without food and water and facing almost certain death".

空襲伊斯蘭國家的另一個原因是，為了保護伊拉克的雅迪茲民眾和其他少數(shù)民族。雅迪茲屬于庫爾德民族。雅迪茲的宗教信仰包括猶太教、基督教、伊斯蘭教和索羅亞斯德教。伊斯蘭國家要求雅迪茲信仰伊斯蘭教并納稅或者選擇死亡。這周早些時候，聯(lián)合國提醒人們警惕伊斯蘭國家進行清教活動而造成的人道主義災難。據(jù)報道，伊斯蘭國家已經(jīng)扣留了上千名雅迪茲婦女做人質(zhì)。奧巴馬稱，最近美國軍隊的行為也是在進行人道主義救援，目的是為了解救成千上萬的雅迪茲人民，那些雅迪茲民眾被困在山上，沒有水和食物，基本上面臨死亡。