Israeli forces shot dead three Palestinian militants of the radical Islamic Jihad (Holy War) were killed in a village north of the West Bank city of Tulkarm at dawn Friday, Palestinian medical sources said.

They said that the three men were identified as Ra'id Ajaj, 30, Nazeeh Abu Saadah, 25, and Saeed al-Ashkar, 22.

Two of them were militants of the radical Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement while the third was an element of the Palestinian preventive security forces, they added.

According to the sources, the Israeli forces with scores of military vehicles forced their way into Alar village and besieged a house in which two of the men had taken refuge. The troops also stormed the area between Alar and Sidon, north of Tulkarm,

A Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed that the three Palestinian militants were killed during clashes which erupted during a routine arrest operation in a village near the northern city of Tulkarem.

"During an exchange of fire, the two terrorists were killed. Next to their bodies, the force found two bullet proof vests, two AK-47 machineguns and several rifle clips," she said, adding the third Jihad militant came out towards the troops slightly later and during another exchange of fire he was also killed.

It was the first deadly army raid since Israel completed its withdrawal of settlers and soldiers from all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four in northern West Bank in recent weeks.

Source: Xinhua