VOA常速英语:Keeping the Pressure on ISIS

2017 has been a bad year for ISIS. Over the past 10 months, the terrorist group has lost its hold on all strongholds in Iraq and nearly all the territory it once held there.In Syria, its territory has shrunk to little more than the central Euphrates river valley. And with the loss of its two capitals, Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, its false, self-proclaimed Caliphate is no more.
对ISIS来说，2017年是糟糕的一年。在过去的十个月中，恐怖主义集团已经失去了在伊拉克的所有据点及其在当地曾拥有的所有领土。在叙利亚，其领土也缩小到仅比幼发拉底河河谷中部多一点。随着ISIS两个“首都”——伊拉克的摩苏尔和叙利亚的拉卡的失守，它那虚假的、自称的哈里发统治已不复存在了。
Nonetheless, that does not mean that the threat is gone and we can stop fighting.On the contrary, we must double down, remove ISIS’ grip on the last of its footholds,even as we continue to rebuild the towns and cities damaged by ISIS and the long, bloody fight to dislodge it.
但是，这并不意味着威胁就完全消失了，也不意味着我们就能就此停止战斗了。相反，我们必须加倍努力，消灭ISIS控制的最后据点，即使我们还需继续重建曾遭ISIS破坏的城市和村庄，即使驱逐ISIS仍将是一场漫长而残酷的斗争。
In Syria, the global coalition continues supporting the Syrian Democratic Force through surveillance,combat advice, and continued precision strikes targeting the terrorists. “We will continue to deprive ISIS remnants of their resources and safe havens, and continue our defeat-ISIS missions so long as they pose a threat,”said Colonel Ryan Dillon, spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve during a recent briefing.
在叙利亚，全球联盟继续通过监视、提供战斗建议以及针对恐怖分子的持续精确打击来支持叙利亚民主力量（SDF）。“我们将持续打击ISIS，使其残余力量丧失资源与庇护所。只要他们还构成威胁，我们就会继续自己打击ISIS的使命，”联合特遣部队之“坚定决心行动”的发言人瑞安·狄龙上校在最近一次简报中如是说。
The coalition also supports stabilization efforts, to help Syrian cities like Raqqa and Tabqa to recover, and its people to return home.“Many of these stabilization efforts in Syria are coordinated through the U.S. State Department’s Syrian Transition Assistance and Response Team, or START,which supports the locally led civil councils,” said Colonel Dillon.
联盟还支持维稳工作，帮助拉卡、塔布卡等叙利亚城市恢复重建，协助其人民回国。“叙利亚的这些维稳工作，很多都是通过美国国务院叙利亚过渡援助与响应小组（START）来协调的，该小组对当地领导的公民委员会提供着支持，”狄龙上校说。
Across the border in Iraq, the stabilization effort is well on the way. Here again, the U.S. offers support, with USAID-lead projects like, for example, rehabilitation of the water network, electricity substation and schools in Shirqat.At the same time, Iraqi Security Forces continue to clear Western Anbar province of the final remaining ISIS holdouts there.
在边境另一侧的伊拉克境内，维稳工作也正在顺利进行。在这方面，美国也通过一些美国国际开发署牵头的项目对伊拉克提供支持，例如重建希尔卡特镇的水网、变电站和学校。与此同时，伊拉克安全部队也在继续清理伊拉克西部安巴尔省内最后剩下的ISIS余党。
“Despite recent and significant military successes against [ISIS], the threat of its hateful ideology persists,” said Colonel Dillon. “We must and will pursue them and we will remain committed to partner support that enables the enduring defeat of these criminals.We are proud to stand by our Iraqi and Syrian partners as they continue to strive toward a better life for future generations.”
“尽管最近在打击ISIS方面取得了巨大的军事胜利，但其可恶的意识形态之威胁依然存在，”狄龙上校说，“我们必须也将会追击他们，同时我们将继续致力于提供对口支援，对这些罪犯形成持续性打击。我们很骄傲能够与我们的伊拉克和叙利亚伙伴一道，支持他们为其子孙后代的更好生活而做出的不懈努力。”