Palestinian security forces foiled an attempt to detonate a car bomb targeting their troops operating in Jenin and its adjacent refugee camp, the Palestinian Authority (PA) said Saturday.
Brig. Gen. Anwar Rajab, head of the Palestinian security services, described the operation as preventing "a disaster in the refugee camp," stating that the bomb was intended to explode among civilians and security personnel.
Exchanges of fire between Palestinian security forces and terrorists in Jenin
"This action is in contradiction to our national struggle," he said, adding that the effort was part of a broader campaign to restore law and order.
Rajab noted that it was not the first time such attacks, likened to "ISIS-style efforts," had been carried out by what he called "outlaws." Earlier in the week, a car bomb exploded in the center of Jenin, injuring both civilians and security forces.
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"The security system continues to fulfill its mission to protect Palestinians and ensure security and stability," Rajb said. "We will not accept any attempts to spread chaos and crime in the West Bank."
The operation follows heightened tensions after PA security forces shot and killed the commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Jenin force. The killing triggered outrage in the city, with some residents calling for riots against the PA. Reports of exchanges of gunfire emerged amid the unrest.