Wanted militant killed

Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian militant in the West Bank town of Jenin, Palestinian and Israeli military officials said today.

The military said a patrol identified three armed Palestinians late on Saturday and fired in their direction. In searches conducted overnight, the army said it found one gunman dead in a house with an AK-47 assault rifle nearby.

Palestinian witnesses said the man was hit by Israeli bullets. Dogs were then used to track him down and he was killed by Israeli forces. The military had no comment on the witnesses’ details.

Palestinian security sources identified the man as Shoga Balawi, 20, one of the local leaders of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, a violent offshoot of Abbas’ Fatah party.