驻阿富汗美军司令称新战略开始奏效
在阿富汗的美军和国际部队指挥官说，川普行政当局在阿富汗这个饱受战争创伤的国家的战略开始奏效，尽管战场上没有重大变化以及塔利班武装发动了若干造成多人伤亡的攻击。
川普行政当局去年提出根据阿富汗具体情况部署美军，支持阿富汗政府军。在阿富汗的美军司令尼科尔森说，这个在战场上实施的战略影响了敌人的策划，迫使他们走向和解的方向。
他说，塔利班受到进行谈判的激励，因为联军“明确表示”不会撤出阿富汗。取得的进展包括两项和平倡议和一项停火协议。
根据阿富汗重建特别检察长办公室的统计，从2017年到2018年，塔利班控制的阿富汗人口从9%增加到12%。在塔利班和政府军争夺的地区，塔利班控制了大约四分之一人口。
尼科尔森将军说，阿富汗政府控制的人口比例变化不大在预期之中，阿富汗正在加强军队，包括增加特种部队的数量和扩建空军。
他说，这两项任务在今后一两年完成之后，阿富汗政府将能够扩大其控制区。
Afghanistan War Commander: 'Strategy is Working'
The commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan says the Trump administration’s strategy for the war-torn country is yielding progress, despite no significant changes on the battlefield and several deadly Taliban attacks.
Last year, the Trump administration called for a conditions-based deployment of U.S. troops in support for Afghan forces. Nicholson said this approach on the battlefield “has affected the enemy’s calculus” and pushed them toward reconciliation.
He said the Taliban now has the incentive to negotiate because the coalition has “clearly communicated” that they are not leaving, pointing to two peace offers and a cease-fire as evidence of the progress.
From 2017 to 2018, Taliban control of the Afghan population has grown slightly from 9 percent to 12 percent, with about a quarter of the population living in areas contested by the Taliban and the Afghan government, according to the latest data from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
Nicholson said the lack of change with respect to the Afghan government’s population control has been predicated on what he called the Afghan military’s “works in progress,” namely the growth in the number of Afghan commandos and the growth in the Afghan air force.
Once those two forces are strengthened in the next year or two, Nicholson said he believes the Afghans will be able to “expand control.”
伊斯兰国组织头目发声
极少公开露面的伊斯兰国组织头目在沉默了将近一年后发声，呼吁支持者继续坚持，并警告说，敌人将面临“黑暗的日子”。
伊斯兰国组织星期三公布了据信是其领袖的阿布·贝克尔·巴格达迪的54分钟讲话，题目是“给有耐心的人们以好消息”。
巴格达迪在讲话中祝贺这个星期的古尔邦节，敦促伊斯兰国的支持者不要放弃。
他还对支持者说，正在崩溃的是美国，而不是伊斯兰国组织。
美国军方和情报界官员知道这个新发布的音频，但是还没有确认讲话者是巴格达迪。
不过，一些分析人士对美国之音说，很可能就是巴格达迪的音频，而且应该是最近发布的，因为讲话中提到了古尔邦节，美国与土耳其有关布伦森牧师的争端，以及伊斯兰国组织与叙利亚武装的交战。
Islamic State Issues New Message From Group’s Reclusive Leader
The secretive leader of the Islamic State terror group is speaking out after nearly a year of silence, urging his supporters to persevere while warning of “dark days” for his enemies.
The terror group’s al-Furqan media division issued the 54-minute speech purportedly from Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, titled "Give Glad Tidings to the Patient,” on Wednesday.
In it, he shares wishes for a blessed Eid al-Adha, a feast celebrated this week, and urges IS supporters not to relent.
He also tells supporters it is the United States, and not IS, that is crumbling.
U.S. military and intelligence officials are aware of the new audio recording but have yet to verify that the voice on the tape is, in fact, Baghdadi.
But analysts contacted by VOA believe the audio is likely both authentic and also recent, pointing to the Eid al-Adha greetings, and references to U.S. tensions with Turkey over the detention of Pastor Andrew Brunson, and fighting between IS and Syrian forces.
