Palestinian security forces launch a rare crackdown on militants in the West Bank
Palestinian security forces have launched a rare crackdown against local militant groups in the northern West Bank
JENIN, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian security forces have launched a rare crackdown against local militant groups in the northern West Bank, sending in armored cars and engaging in fierce gunbattles that have killed at least two people in the volatile area.
The raid marks an unusual step for the Palestinian Authority, the governing body for semi-autonomous pockets in the occupied West Bank that is internationally recognized but has largely lost control of militant strongholds such as Jenin, where forces operated through the weekend and into Monday.
Israeli troops have stepped into the vacuum in recent years, particularly since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas militant attack that triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Palestinian health officials say 811 Palestinians have been killed since then in the West Bank, most by Israeli raids into Palestinian cities and towns. Israel says most of the dead have been militants.
On Saturday, Palestinian security forces said they had begun the operation in the Jenin refugee camp, a longtime militant stronghold. The operation was continuing Monday, with AP reporters hearing heavy gunfire and spotting at least two Palestinian armored vehicles roaming the outskirts of the camp.
