VOA慢速英語：美國在尼日爾建設無人機基地

US Building Air Base for Drones in Niger

美國在尼日爾建設無人機基地

The U.S. Air Force is getting close to completing a base in northern Niger for armed drones that will target militant groups operating in the area.

美國空軍即將建在尼日爾北部建成無人機基地，用于打擊該地區(qū)的激進組織。

Auburn Davis, a spokesman for U.S. Air Force Europe and Air Force Africa, told VOA that the base is the biggest U.S. Airforce-led construction project ever. The total proposed cost of building the base is $98.5 million.

美國空軍歐洲與非洲司令部發(fā)言人奧本·戴維斯(Auburn Davis)對美國之音表示，該基地是美國空軍主導的有史以來最大的建設項目。該基地規(guī)劃的總造價為9850萬美元。

The base is in the northern city of Agadez in the Sahara Desert. There, militants and smugglers find ways to go to and from Libya, Algeria, Mali and Chad.

該基地位于撒哈拉沙漠中的北部城市阿加德茲。武裝分子和走私者在那里想方設法往返于利比亞、阿爾及利亞、馬里和乍得。

About 650 military members will be deployed to the base once it is operational.

基地一旦投入使用，大約650名軍事人員將會被部署到這里。

The U.S. military said an undecided number of military drones, including MQ-9s, will also be sent to the base. They are currently being used at another drone base in the capital, Niamey.

美國軍方表示，數(shù)量不明的軍用無人機也將被派往該基地，其中就包括MQ-9無人機，它們目前被用在尼日爾首都尼亞美市另一個基地。

The U.S military says it decided to build the base in Agadez in partnership with the government of Niger.

美國軍方稱其決定在阿加德茲建立基地是同尼日爾政府合作。

Nigerien Defense Minister Kalla Mountari confirmed that his government requested the Air Force's presence to help the country in its fight against terrorists and international criminal groups.

尼日爾國防部長卡拉·蒙塔里(Kalla Mountari)證實，尼日爾政府要求美國空軍幫助該國打擊恐怖分子和國際犯罪集團。

Militarization of the Sahel

薩赫勒地區(qū)軍事化

Some experts believe the construction of the base is a sign that the Sahel area of Africa is becoming increasingly militarized.

一些專家認為，該基地的建設是非洲薩赫勒地區(qū)日益軍事化的標志。

William Assanvo is a West African coordinator at the Institute for Security Studies Africa. He told VOA that the future base, "raises some concerns about foreign powers taking roots in the Sahel to pursue national interests that are not always clear..."

非洲安全研究學會西非地區(qū)協(xié)調(diào)員威廉·阿桑沃(William Assanvo)對美國之音表示，這座將來的基地“引發(fā)了人們對外國勢力在薩赫勒開始扎根，追求自身通常并不明朗的國家利益的擔憂。”

Nigerien officials consider the Agadez base important for dealing with the growing security threat of terrorism in Niger and nearby countries.

尼日爾官員認為，阿加德茲基地對于應對尼日爾及周邊國家日益嚴重的恐怖主義安全威脅來說至關重要。

Niger's defense minister, Kalla Mountari, said the area between Agadez and his country's border with Libya is large and unpopulated. Militants are able, in his words, "to move about freely there." He added that militants also use the area to move weapons.

尼日爾國防部長蒙塔里表示，阿加德茲同利比亞邊境之間的地區(qū)面積廣闊、人煙稀少。用他的話來說，武裝分子得以在那里自由行動。他補充說，武裝分子還利用該地區(qū)轉(zhuǎn)移武器。

Assanvo said he believes the move to Agadez could also be part of the U.S. military's effort to have a quiet presence in the area -- without leading to opposition from the local population.

阿桑沃表示，他認為遷往阿加德茲可能也是美軍降低在該地區(qū)存在感、避免引發(fā)當?shù)孛癖姺磳Φ呐Φ囊徊糠帧?/p>

"This is important," Assanvo said, "given the clear opposition a significant part of [the Nigerien population has] voiced about the increasing Western presence in the country."

阿桑沃表示：“鑒于尼日爾很大一部分人口對西方勢力在該國的存在表達出的明確反對立場，這樣做非常重要。”

I'm Phil Dierking.

菲爾·德爾金報道。