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NABLUS (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces detained the mayor of Huwwara early Monday morning, a local Fatah spokesman said.

Awwad Nigim told Ma'an that Israeli soldiers raided the Nablus village and detained Mayor Nasser Jihad Mufdi, 45, after searching his home.

Nigim said the forces ransacked several homes in the village.

An Israeli military spokesman said one Palestinian was arrested in Huwwara. During the activity, an AK47, a hunting rifle, ammunition and other equipment were found and confiscated, the army spokesman told Ma'an.

He said forces detained 15 Palestinians in other raids across the West Bank.

Soldiers detained six Palestinians in al-Mazraa al-Sharqiya, three in Safa, one in Aida refugee camp, one in al-Khader, two in Tulkarem and two in Urif, the army official said.

Residents of Urif, south of Nablus, told Ma'an that soldiers detained brothers Aref and Ahmad Khaled al-Safadi during a raid on their home.

Six military patrols also raided the nearby village of Beita and ransacked several homes, locals told Ma'an.

In Aida camp in Bethlehem, soldiers detained photographer Mohammad Walid al-Azzeh, 23.

In April, Israeli forces shot al-Azzeh in the face with a rubber-coated steel bullet as he covered clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian youth. He has undergone two surgeries and is waiting for a third operation.

In Safa, near Beit Ummar, locals identified the detainees as Mahmud Ikhalyel, 20, Seif Abu Dayyeh, 17, and 16-year-old Hassan Ikhalyel.

Six Israeli military vehicles raided the village and raided several homes, Beit Ummar popular committee spokesman Mohammad Awad told Ma'an.

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