IDF Special Forces yesterday morning shot and killed the Shomron region's top Islamic Jihad terrorist, Iyad Sawalha, 28. Security officials say that Sawalha was directly responsible for the murder of 31 Israelis in two deadly bombings including the October 21 suicide attack at the Karkur junction that left 14 Israelis dead, and the bus bombing at the Meggido junction this past June that claimed 17 lives. Sawalha was involved in at least half-a-dozen other incidents that wounded scores more, over the past two years.
Early Saturday morning soldiers surrounded Sawalha's Jenin home and ordered him to surrender. Sawalha refused and began hurling grenades at the soldiers, lightly wounding three. The troops then stormed the house and killed Sawalha during a gunbattle. Newly appointed Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz praised the operation's success.
Sawalha was first arrested for terror activity in 1992 and was sentenced to life in prison. However he was then released in 1998 as a gesture of "good will" towards the Palestinians as part of the Oslo accords.
This morning IDF forces pulled back to positions on the outskirts of Jenin after maintaining a two-week presence in the town to search for wanted terrorists. About 200 Arabs with membership in the Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah terror organizations were arrested in the operation. The IDF says that with the death of Sawalha, the majority of the army's goals in Jenin had been achieved. One official told Army Radio this morning that the operation in the city dealt a severe blow to the town's terror infrastructure.
Early Saturday morning soldiers surrounded Sawalha's Jenin home and ordered him to surrender. Sawalha refused and began hurling grenades at the soldiers, lightly wounding three. The troops then stormed the house and killed Sawalha during a gunbattle. Newly appointed Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz praised the operation's success.
Sawalha was first arrested for terror activity in 1992 and was sentenced to life in prison. However he was then released in 1998 as a gesture of "good will" towards the Palestinians as part of the Oslo accords.
This morning IDF forces pulled back to positions on the outskirts of Jenin after maintaining a two-week presence in the town to search for wanted terrorists. About 200 Arabs with membership in the Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah terror organizations were arrested in the operation. The IDF says that with the death of Sawalha, the majority of the army's goals in Jenin had been achieved. One official told Army Radio this morning that the operation in the city dealt a severe blow to the town's terror infrastructure.