Israeli troops kill West Bank militant - security

West Bank, Aug 31: Israeli troops killed a top commander of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant group during a raid into the West Bank city of Nablus today, Palestinian security sources said.

They said Fadi Khafisha, who was known for helping to prepare suicide bombings in Israel, was shot dead in the Old City at the heart of Nablus. Another senior militant was among five people wounded in the fighting.

An army spokeswoman said there had been an exchange of fire in Nablus and that the gunmen opened fire first.

''The forces returned fire and identified hitting the armed men,'' she said. She did not confirm that Khafisha had been killed.

An Israeli security chief said this week that Palestinian militants could have been emboldened by Hizbollah's ability in holding off army assaults during a 34-day war.

Reuters