Israeli troops kill two militants in West Bank

JENIN, West Bank, Dec 20 (Reuters) Israeli troops killed two Palestinian militants from Islamic Jihad in the West Bank today during a raid, the Israeli military and the group said.

They said the raid took place in a village near the West Bank city of Jenin.

Witnesses said Israeli troops surrounded a house and asked the two militants to surrender. They refused. A gunbattle ensued and the two were killed.

Islamic Jihad named them as Salah Sawafteh and Hussam Alawneh.

An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the two were killed in an exchange of fire during an arrest operation.

''The two were involved in attempts to carry out a number of suicide attacks inside Israel,'' she said.

Israeli troops shot and killed a 13-year-old Palestinian girl near the West Bank town of Tulkarm yesterday after soldiers accidentally mistook her for a gunman trying to enter Israel.

Israeli forces also killed two militants in the West Bank yesterday.

While a Gaza truce declared by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert last month has largely held, Israel has kept up military operations in the West Bank.

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