From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, June 11, 2024
Police say 4 members of cell behind West Bank arson attack killed after trying to ram cops
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Police say undercover Border Police officers killed a Palestinian gunman a short while ago, accused of carrying out an arson attack at a settler outpost in the West Bank last night. Another three Palestinian terror suspects were killed in the operation.
Border Police officers and IDF troops operated in the West Bank town of Kafr Ni’ma this evening amid a manhunt for the terrorists behind last night’s attack in the Sde Ephraim outpost.
As the troops arrived at a hideout in Kafr Ni’ma, where the cell that allegedly carried out the attack was gathered, the main suspect and three others attempted to flee in a car, police say.
Police say the suspects tried to ram into the officers, who in response opened fire, killing the four men. In their vehicle, troops found a makeshift sub-machine gun, a military vest, and explosive devices, police say.
One officer was slightly hurt amid the operation, police add.
In the overnight attack in Sde Ephraim, surveillance camera video showed an armed suspect pouring flammable liquid on a trailer used by settlers as a living space, and then setting fire to it, before leaving the scene.
There were no injuries in the attack, as the couple living there were not home at the time.
Sde Ephraim was established illegally on a hilltop that had been part of the Palestinian village next door, Ras Karkar, also known as Risan. Settlers from the outpost have clashed with local Palestinians in the area in the past.
