NABLUS, June 26: The West Bank leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a key militant group, and five other Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army during a raid in Nablus on Saturday.

Nayef Abu Sharkh was appointed two months ago as the West Bank leader of the Brigades, a part of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction.

Israeli sources said troops found the militants inside a house, hiding behind a wall. The soldiers then fired at them and threw grenades, the sources said.

Witnesses said Israeli troops ambushed and shot at the group. Medics confirmed the men had died of gunshot wounds.

"The Israeli army committed a massacre today. There is no justification at all for this killing," said Nablus governor Mahmoud Alaloul as residents gathered in the town and wept.

Earlier in the day, Israeli troops shot dead a Palestinian who military sources said had confronted soldiers in Nablus. On Friday, soldiers killed two Palestinians during a massive raid.-Reuters