NABLUS: A Palestinian terrorist was killed in an explosion in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, according to police, with Israel remaining mute despite militants’ claims that Israel was behind his death.
Tamer Al-Kilani was slain overnight in Nablus’ Old City in the northern West Bank, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Kilani was killed in an explosion in Nablus, where the Lions’ Den militant group has risen in recent months, according to a Palestinian police inspector.
Kilani was characterized as one of the group’s “fiercest fighters,” and his death was blamed on Israel.
“The evil occupation (Israel) placed a sticky TNT device as a means of assassination,” Kilani stated on Telegram.
On Sunday, Palestinians gathered around the burned remains of a motorbike apparently loaded with explosives.
Kilani’s mother and sister stood over his body at Nablus’ Rafidia Hospital.
When approached by AFP, the Israeli military refused to confirm its role in the death.
According to an army spokeswoman, Kilani was involved in attacks against Israelis and had previously been imprisoned by Israel.
In a statement released by the official Palestinian news agency Wafa, the Fatah movement called the killing a “cowardly assassination.”
Dozens of Palestinian militants and civilians have been slain this year as a result of an increase in Israeli military incursions, the majority of which have targeted the northern West Bank.
According to an army spokeswoman, Israeli soldiers “will continue to operate at all times and in all places where terror attacks against Israelis originate.”
According to an AFP count, 19 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers have been murdered this month.
Source: Reuters