Israeli troops kill Palestinian in West Bank-medics

NABLUS, West Bank, May 5 (Reuters) Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian youth during a raid in the West bank today, Palestinian witnesses and hospital sources said.

They said Mohammed al-Khutoub, 19, had been among a group of people throwing stones to protest a raid by Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Nablus.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said Israeli forces had been on an operation in the city and had arrested a wanted member of militant group The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

''During the activity there was a riot around the force,'' the spokeswoman said. ''The force identified a Palestinian man who was ready to throw a Molotov cocktail at them and they opened fire and identified hitting him.'' The spokeswoman added that a second Palestinian was shot in the leg during the raid as he tried to detonate an explosive device.

Israeli forces frequently raid West Bank towns searching for wanted militants.

REUTERS SI BD2058