Israeli occupation troops have exchanged fire with Palestinians during an incursion into the West Bank town of Jenin and its adjacent refugee camp, sources from both sides said.Some 50 armoured vehicles and 300 infantry moved into the area early Saturday, and occupation soldiers carried out house-to-house searches before withdrawing to their positions on the perimeter of the city.

Explosive devices were thrown at the occupation soldiers, but no casualties occurred. There were also no initial reports of any arrests being made.

The occupation army characterized the operation as a routine one, adding that a curfew that had been imposed on the city and the camp had been lifted.

The Israeli occupation army reoccupied all the major autonomous towns on the West Bank except Jericho last summer in response to a wave of bloody attacks.

PHOTO CAPTION

An Israeli occupation soldier protects the new fence between Israel and the West Bank city of Jenin during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon  for talks, in Salem January 8, 2003. Israeli Prime Minister Sharon's national security adviser, Ephraim Halevy, held rare talks in Cairo on Wednesday, but failed to agree on ways to handle the bloody Palestinian uprising. REUTERS/Gil Cohen Mag