The IDF, Border Police and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) on Thursday shot and killed the leader of a terrorist group known as the Tulkarm Brigade-Rapid Response in the northern West Bank village of Izbat Shufah near Tulkarm during an operation to arrest him.
According to a joint statement, the terrorist, identified as Amir Abu Khadija, had been involved in multiple shooting attacks both on Jewish villages and on the IDF position at Teenim.
Intelligence led the security forces to the terrorist’s hideout where they cut off the area from surrounding traffic in order to entrap him.
At one point during the operation to arrest him, he resisted arrest by pulling out a weapon to attack.
In response, security forces fired on the terrorist, killing him.
Capturing the terrorist's main co-conspirator
During the operation, the terrorist’s main co-conspirator was captured and was transferred to the Shin Bet for interrogation.
Security forces also confiscated an M-16, a military vest, various other military items and the car which the terrorist had used to perpetrate his attacks.
There were no injuries to IDF troops.
Footage shared on Palestinian media on Thursday showed Khadija taking part in armed clashes with Israeli forces in past incidents.
The Tulkarm Brigade, which Khadija helped found and lead, first began conducting attacks in January, although Palestinian media reported that the group was formed at the end of last year. The group only formally announced its establishment in late February.
According to Palestinian reports, the group is closely affiliated with the Lions' Den group, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades and the Jenin Battalion and is part of an effort to mimic the situation during the Second Intifada in which Jenin, Nablus and Tulkarm were centers of terrorist activity.