Buffer zone：緩沖地帶

12月21日，聯合國特派團在剛果（金）東部地區重新部署維和部隊，以保護無辜平民的安全和制止反政府武裝繼續采取軍事行動。外電報道如下：A senior UN official has said the recent upsurge in violence in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo appears to be abating.

UN peacekeepers moved in on Tuesday to create a buffer zone between rival factions of the Congolese army.

The two sides have been fighting to control an area near Rwanda.

A UK parliament report seen exclusively by the BBC says arms-smuggling in the area is so widespread it is encouraging armed groups to restart the war.

Buffer zone表示“緩沖地帶”，即處于兩股敵對勢力或交戰雙方間，用來阻止沖突的中間地帶。Buffer表示“緩沖器”，泛指任何可供緩沖的事物，如減震器，保險杠，消聲器，緩沖溶液，預備金等。來看一個例句：A sense of humor may have served as a buffer against the shocks of disappointment（幽默感或許可以當作受到失望打擊時的緩沖物。）

據悉，剛果（金）政府軍和反政府武裝19日在北基伍省爆發激烈戰斗，持續一周的沖突已造成大約10萬平民逃離家園。維和部隊將在卡尼亞巴永加鎮和盧貝羅鎮之間建立一個臨時緩沖地帶，以便隔離政府軍和反政府武裝。