Palestinian militant killed near Israeli border

GAZA, Feb 13 (Reuters) A Palestinian gunman was killed during a gun battle with Israeli troops on the border with the Gaza Strip today, militants and the army said.

The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militant group, part of President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, named the dead militant as 20-year-old Mohammed Saeedi. Another Palestinian with him was wounded.

An army spokeswoman said troops called on two men approaching the border fence in the northern Gaza Strip to back away. They opened fire on the men when they did not do so.

''The two men were killed while trying to plant an explosive device in the ground next to the border fence. It exploded during an exchange of fire,'' the spokeswoman said.

Israel and the Palestinians agreed to a shaky truce in Gaza last November. Despite the deal, militants have continued to fire some makeshift rockets into Israel.

Israel has continued to carry out raids in the occupied West Bank.

The army spokeswoman said the explosive device was the 18th to be discovered since the truce was announced.

REUTERS SY KP1400