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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces on Wednesday detained 19 Palestinians in raids across the West Bank, including nine in the town of Beit Ummar near Hebron and seven near Qaliqiliya.

Local activist Muhammad Ayyad Awad told Ma'an that Israeli soldiers entered Beit Ummar before dawn and raided a number of private homes in different neighborhoods across the town, which is located along the main road between Bethlehem and Hebron.

Awad said that nine Palestinians were arrested during the raids, including five men who had been formerly imprisoned in Israeli jails.

The five detainees who were previously in prison were identified as Nassim Taha Muhammad Taha Abu Maria, 17, who was released three months ago after spending one year in Israeli custody, Youssef Muhammad Kamel Awad, 24, a former prisoner who spent three years in Israeli jails, Nour Youssef Khdeir Awad, 23, former prisoner, Ayham Khalil Abd al-Fattah Sabarneh, 21, and former prisoner Hassan Adam Salem Ikhleil, who was released a month ago and has three other brothers in Israeli jails.

The remaining four detained individuals were identified as Maan Ahmad Muhammad Abu Ayyash, 25, Yahiya Kamel Zaqiq, 18, Muhannad Abd al-Fattah Hassan Arar, 16, and Mahdi Ziyad Mahmoud Ikhmayis, 19.

The detainees were taken to the Etzion military camp north of Beit Ummar.

Awad added that clashes erupted between Palestinian youths and Israeli soldiers before the military forces left the town.

No injuries were reported.

Israeli forces also raided the town of Beit Duqqu northwest of Jerusalem early Wednesday.

Locals told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided the town and detained Nour Jamal Rayyan, 21. They took him to an unidentified location.

Clashes erupted between youths and Israeli soldiers during the raid.

Soldiers fired a large number of tear-gas bombs at local protesters as well as nearby houses, causing many to suffer from excessive tear-gas inhalation.

Meanwhile, Kazem and Naji Mufid Radwan, Yazan Bilal Radwan, Sari Ziyad Radwan, Yasser Faisal Salim, Muhammad Saber Radwan and Ammad Yasser Salim were detained in the Qalqiliya town of Azzun and Abdullah al-Juneidi was detained in Hebron.

Most of the detainees are former prisoners.

Israeli forces also detained Ahmad Fuad Adwin from the Azza refugee camp in Bethlehem.

An Israeli military spokeswoman did not immediately return a request for comment.

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