Israeli soldiers shoot dead Palestinian teenager after 'throwing stones'

Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian teenager early Sunday who was accused by Israeli authorities of throwing stones at soldiers in the occupied West Bank city, Palestinian officials said.

Security officials said that troops entered the village of Beit Rima, near Ramallah, after midnight and were met by "stone-throwing youths".

The Palestinian health ministry said that Ahmed Hazem Atta, 19, was killed in the ensuing army fire.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said that there was a "violent riot" at Beit Rima but could not confirm the death.

"Dozens of rioters hurled rocks at security forces injuring a border police soldier," she said.

"In order to prevent an escalation of violence forces responded with riot dispersal means, and fired toward main instigators," she added.

"We have reports of a rioter killed and another injured and they're being looked into," but were so far unverified, the spokeswoman told AFP.

Since October 2015, 244 Palestinians, 36 Israelis, two Americans, a Jordanian, an Eritrean and a Sudanese have been killed, according to an AFP count.