Nigeria Welcomes Help in Search for Kidnapped Students

尼日利亚欢迎帮助搜救被绑架学生

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan promised this week to find hundreds of missing schoolgirls. The girls were taken from a secondary school in northern Nigeria on April 14.

尼日利亚总统古德勒克·乔纳森(Goodluck Jonathan)本周承诺找到数百名失踪的女学生。这些女孩是4月14日从尼日利亚北部一所中学被抓走的。

The Islamic militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility on Monday for kidnapping the students. The group released a video recording of its leader, Abubakar Shekau. In the video, he says, "I abducted your girls... By Allah, I will sell them in the marketplace."

伊斯兰激进组织博科圣地周一宣称对这起学生绑架案负责。该组织发布了一段记录其领导人阿布巴卡尔·谢卡乌(Abubakar Shekau)的视频。他在视频中说，“我绑架了你们的女孩。以真主为名，我会在市场上把她们卖掉。”

International reaction came quickly. French President Francois Hollande spoke with the Nigerian president by telephone on Wednesday. Mr. Hollande said his country would immediately send security agents to help find the missing students.

国际社会很快对此作出反应。法国总统奥德朗周三和尼日利亚总统通了电话。奥朗德表示，法国会立即派特工帮助寻找失踪学生。

France has more than 4,000 troops in two other African countries: Mali and the Central African Republic. The French government has voiced concern that Boko Haram's influence could spread across the Nigerian border.

法国在其它两个非洲国家：马里以及中非共和国派驻了4000多名士兵。法国政府对博科圣地组织的影响可能跨越了尼日利亚边境表示了关注。

In the United States, President Barack Obama was among the world leaders who condemned the militant group and the kidnappings.

在美国，奥巴马总统也加入了世界各国领导人的行列，对该激进组织以及这起绑架事件进行了谴责。

"It's a heartbreaking situation, an outrageous situation. This may be the event that helps to mobilize the entire international community – to finally do something against this horrendous organization."

奥巴马说，“目前的局势让人心碎，也非常离谱。这一事件或许有助于让整个国际社会动员起来，最终对这个可怕组织采取行动。”

President Obama's wife Michelle showed support for the kidnapped girls on social media. She left a message and picture of herself on both Facebook and Twitter. The message said her thoughts and prayers were with the girls and their families. In her words, "It's time to #BringBackOurGirls."

奥巴马总统的妻子米歇尔在社交媒体上表达了对这些被绑架女孩的支持。她在Facebook和Twitter上留言并发布了自己的照片。该留言称，她同这些女孩及其家属同牵挂共祈祷。用她的话来说，“是时候救回我们的女孩了。”

The United States is sending military experts, criminal investigators and hostage negotiators to help find the girls. A Defense Department official told reporters on Wednesday that a handful of military advisers -- less than 10 -- were going to the Nigerian capital, Abuja. Colonel Steve Warren also said there are no plans for a U.S. military operation.

美国派遣了军事专家、刑事调查员和人质谈判专家帮助找回这些女孩。美国国防部一位官员周三对记者表示，几位军事顾问--少于十人--要去尼日利亚首都阿布贾。史蒂夫·沃伦(Steve Warren)上校也表示，目前美国没有军事行动的计划。

"Their mission there is simply to assess and advise. These personnel will be experts in areas to include communications, logistics, intelligence, all of the functionalities that we believe will be helpful."

他说，“他们的任务是评估和建议。这些人员将包括通信、后勤、情报领域的专家，我们认为这些会有所帮助。”

Other countries also have offered to help Nigeria. Britain has promised to provide satellite imagery. China says it will train military officials and help improve Nigeria's ability to gather intelligence.

其它国家也表示愿意帮助尼日利亚。英国已经承诺提供卫星图像。中国表示将培训军事人员帮助尼日利亚提高收集情报的能力。

Boko Haram has been blamed for thousands of deaths since the group launched operations against the Nigerian government in 2009. The campaign is aimed at establishing Islamic rule. In English, the name of the group means "Western education is sinful."

自2009年博科圣地开始开展反尼日利亚政府的行动以来，该组织已被指责对数千人死亡负责。该运动旨在建立伊斯兰统治。该组织的名字在英语中的意思是“西方教育是罪恶的。”

The militants have been most active in northeast Nigeria. The government declared emergency rule in three northeastern states a year ago. But efforts by the military to crush or contain the rebellion have been unsuccessful.

这些武装分子在尼日利亚东北部最为活跃。一年前，政府宣布东北部三个州进入紧急状态。但军方遏制叛乱的努力一直未能取得成功。

At least 125 people were killed on Monday when gunmen attacked a market in a town near the border with Cameroon. A day later, eight other girls reportedly were seized in a village near where the schoolgirls were kidnapped. Villagers accused Boko Haram of carrying out the attack.

周一，枪手袭击了邻近喀麦隆边境的一个小镇的市场，造成至少125人遇难。一天后，据说8名女孩在那些女学生被绑架地附近的一个村庄被抓走。村民们指责博科圣地进行了这次袭击。

Nigerian police have offered a $300,000 reward for information leading to the location and the rescue of the kidnap victims.

尼日利亚警察悬赏30万美元用于奖励可以提供位置并救助被绑架者的信息。

And that's In The News from VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.

Nigeria Welcomes Help in Search for Kidnapped Students

By VOA

09 May, 2014

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan promised this week to find hundreds of missing schoolgirls. The girls were taken from a secondary school in northern Nigeria on April 14.

The Islamic militant group Boko Haram claimed responsibility on Monday for kidnapping the students. The group released a video recording of its leader, Abubakar Shekau. In the video, he says, "I abducted your girls... By Allah, I will sell them in the marketplace."

International reaction came quickly. French President Francois Hollande spoke with the Nigerian president by telephone on Wednesday. Mr. Hollande said his country would immediately send security agents to help find the missing students.

France has more than 4,000 troops in two other African countries: Mali and the Central African Republic. The French government has voiced concern that Boko Haram's influence could spread across the Nigerian border.

In the United States, President Barack Obama was among the world leaders who condemned the militant group and the kidnappings.

"It's a heartbreaking situation, an outrageous situation. This may be the event that helps to mobilize the entire international community – to finally do something against this horrendous organization."

Michelle Obama on #BringBackOurGirls

President Obama's wife Michelle showed support for the kidnapped girls on social media. She left a message and picture of herself on both Facebook and Twitter. The message said her thoughts and prayers were with the girls and their families. In her words, "It's time to #BringBackOurGirls."

The United States is sending military experts, criminal investigators and hostage negotiators to help find the girls. A Defense Department official told reporters on Wednesday that a handful of military advisers -- less than 10 -- were going to the Nigerian capital, Abuja. Colonel Steve Warren also said there are no plans for a U.S. military operation.

"Their mission there is simply to assess and advise. These personnel will be experts in areas to include communications, logistics, intelligence, all of the functionalities that we believe will be helpful."

Other countries also have offered to help Nigeria. Britain has promised to provide satellite imagery. China says it will train military officials and help improve Nigeria's ability to gather intelligence.

Boko Haram has been blamed for thousands of deaths since the group launched operations against the Nigerian government in 2009. The campaign is aimed at establishing Islamic rule. In English, the name of the group means "Western education is sinful."

The militants have been most active in northeast Nigeria. The government declared emergency rule in three northeastern states a year ago. But efforts by the military to crush or contain the rebellion have been unsuccessful.

At least 125 people were killed on Monday when gunmen attacked a market in a town near the border with Cameroon. A day later, eight other girls reportedly were seized in a village near where the schoolgirls were kidnapped. Villagers accused Boko Haram of carrying out the attack.

Nigerian police have offered a $300,000 reward for information leading to the location and the rescue of the kidnap victims.

And that's In The News from VOA Learning English. I'm Steve Ember.