5 Israeli soldiers injured in terrorist bombing

Five Border Police officers injured during counter-terror operation in Samaria.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

Five Israeli Border Police officers were injured during a counter-terrorism operation in Samaria Thursday morning, the Israeli military said.

According to a joint statement by the IDF and the Border Police, the five officers were injured when an explosive device detonated while Israeli security forces were engaged in a firefight with Palestinian terrorists in a refugee camp adjacent the city of Tulkarem in western Samaria before dawn Thursday.

IDF soldiers and Border Police officers entered the camp overnight as part of an arrest operation to apprehend a wanted terrorist.

Rioters attacked the security forces with stones and firebombs, prompting the security personnel to respond with crowd dispersal techniques, including the use of smoke grenades.

Shortly thereafter, armed terrorists opened fire on the soldiers, sparking a gun fight.

During the gun battle, Israeli security forces shot several terrorists, though no details have been released regarding the terrorists’ condition.

At approximately 5:30 a.m., as the Israeli forces were beginning to withdraw from the area, an explosive device – possibly a grenade – placed on the side of a road detonated as a vehicle passed by.

The explosion injured five Border Police officers, with three of the officers seriously injured and two more lightly-to-moderately injured.

The five officers were treated on the scene before being evacuated to four Israeli hospitals.

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization claimed responsibility for the shooting and bombing attacks in the Tulkarem refugee camp.

Shortly thereafter, a terrorist shooting attack was reported outside of the Israeli town of Avnei Hefetz in Samaria.

An Israeli vehicle came under fire during the attack, but no injuries were reported.

Israeli security personnel dispatched after the attack managed to locate and kill the two terrorists, the Palestinian Authority’s WAFA media outlet reported.

The two slain terrorists were identified as 23-year-old Abd al-Rahman Fares Muhammad Atta and 27-year-old Hudhayfah Adnan Muhammad Fares.

An M-16 assault rifle was found the car used by the two terrorists.

Later on Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement in which he wished the injured Border Police officers a quick recovery and vowed that his government would continue to combat Palestinian terrorism.

“I convey my best wishes for a speedy recovery to the Border Police officers who were wounded in last night’s operation in Tulkarm.

“The IDF and the security forces will continue to take courageous and determined action in order to clear out the terrorist nests in Judea and Samaria.”

“We hold Iran directly responsible for the wave of terrorism in Judea and Samaria, in encouraging and financing murderous operations against the citizens of Israel.”

“The Government of Israel will fight terrorism with determination and defend the citizens of Israel.”