ISRAEL - Terrorists open fire with Kalashnikovs, 50+ casualties, some deaths

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(11:38) Terrorists open fire in Afula By The Jerusalem Post Internet Staff

Palestinian terrorists wielding Kalashnikov assault rifles opened fire on a crowd of people near the central bus station in the northern Israeli city of Afula just moments ago, killing two Israeli civilians.

The terrorists arrived on the scene in a stolen Israeli Subaru, got out of their vehicle, and began shooting at pedestrians in the crowded downtown area.

According to the national police spokesman, four police officers, a Border Police officer, and a reserve IDF soldier engaged the two men in a gunbattle.

The two terrorists, Mustafa Abu Sariya and Abdel Karim Abu Anafeh, of the Jenin refugee camp, were killed on the spot.

The men are affiliated with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction and Islamic Jihad and the attack was reportedly planned by both organizations.

For more on claims of responsibility for the attack, click here.

Police northern district commander Brig.-Gen. Avi Tiller intially reported one Israeli was killed in the attack. A second woman fatally wounded in the shooting died a short time ago in hospital.

Dr. Eran Halperin at Afula's Ha'emek Hospital reported at least 50 casualties. Many of the wounded are suffering from shock.

Five of the reported 50 casualties are in very serious condition and are undergoing surgery. Eleven are in moderate and critical condition and the remainder are listed in light condition at Ha'emek Hospital.

One of the wounded is a young boy.

Ha'emek Hospital has established an emergency telephone hotline for those seeking information on admitted casualties of the shooting attack. Dial 1255165.

Overseas callers must dial 972 before the above number.

Earlier reports indicated Yasam and Yoav unit police officers chased one or more suspects who fled in the direction of the city market. An exchange of gunfire was reported in the southern section of the Afula outdoor market.

However, Tiller told Israel Television Channel One there was no chase of a third terrorist.

Massive security forces and medical trauma teams converged on the scene minutes after the attack.

Betzalel, an eyewitness to the shooting, told Channel One two young men arrived on the scene on foot from near the central bus station and began shooting in all directions.

Security forces have sealed the central bus station area and are searching for evidence that might indicate the origin and identity of the Palestinian terrorists.

The government issued a quick response to the Afula attack.

"This illustrates the fact that the Palestinian Authority is not doing anything to stop terrorism, and terror activity is going to continue in spite of the efforts made by men of good will to stop it," said government spokesman Avi Pazner.

In early October, a Palestinian terrorist disguised as an IDF paratrooper killed one person and fatally wounded two others at Afula's central bus station. He wounded several more before being shot dead by members of a police security unit.

IDF troops withdrew overnight from Palestinian Authority-controlled Jenin, located not far to the south of Afula.

Several Palestinian suicide bombers have come from Jenin, at least one of them striking Afula.

Jenin has been serving as the "center of terrorist activity, from which most suicide bombers against Israel have emanated," according to a government statement.

The government maintains that all the terrorist organizations have established infrastructure in the Jenin area with the cooperation of the Palestinian Authority and have worked together in several terrorist attacks, taking advantage of Jenin's close proximity to the Green line to infiltrate terrorists and weapons and to enlist collaborators from among Israeli Arabs.

For more on the Jenin pullout, click here.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

-- Anonymous, November 27, 2001


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