Dozens of Israeli jeeps and armoured vehicles have raided the West Bank city of Nablus and placed tens of thousands of Palestinians under curfew.

Security sources and witnesses said the Israeli army distributed flyers early on Sunday, saying the raid was aimed at arresting nine wanted people.

Al Jazeera’s correspondent reported 80 jeeps backing several bulldozers the Old city, Ras al-Ain and al-Jabal al-Shamali neighbourhoods.

The bulldozers pushed rubble into piles on main roads to make them impassable, they said.

Troops placed about 50,000 people under curfew in the center of Nablus and closed the main entrance to the city.

Jeeps blocked entries to two main hospitals in the city, said a doctor, Ghassan Hamdan.

Schools and a university in the city announced that they had cancelled studies due to the curfew.

PHOTO CAPTION

Palestinian youths throw stones toward an Israeli Army vehicle in the old City at the West Bank town of Nablus, Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007. (AP)

Al-Jazeera (summarized)