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Israeli troops kill militant leader in West Bank

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-05 16:04

NABLUS, West Bank -- The military says Israeli troops on an arrest raid in the West Bank have killed a top Islamic Jihad militant.

Children stand on the rubble following Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Al-Jazeera now gleans news from citizen journalists, including those in Gaza [Agencies]

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The military says it killed Ala a-din Abu Rop, the 21-year-old militant commander in the northern West Bank village of Qabatiya.

Abu Rop's brother says he had been arrested in the past and has been wanted for the past year and a half. He said troops barged into their home and shot his brother while he was sitting at a computer.

The military says it arrived in the home early Wednesday to find Abu Rop fully armed and that a search of the home revealed weapons and ammunition. It added that Abu Rop was currently planning attacks against Israel.

The Israeli army frequently carries out arrest raids against militants in the West Bank.