JENIN, West Bank, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed a Palestinian militant as he fled forces trying to arrest him in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, a military spokeswoman and Palestinian security sources said.

Palestinian witnesses said undercover troops shot at the militant from the Islamic Jihad group while he was outside a shop in the village of Yamoun, near the West Bank town of Jenin. Security sources said he died on the way to hospital.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said troops had gone to arrest the militant, who was 20, and suspected of plotting to carry out attacks in the Jenin area. The troops opened fire at him as he tried to flee arrest, the spokeswoman said.

Israeli soldiers frequently raid militant hideouts in the West Bank, although lethal confrontations have been rare in recent weeks.

In a statement, the Israeli army said troops arrested 22 Palestinian militants in raids in the West Bank overnight. (Reporting by Wael al-Ahmad; Writing by Allyn Fisher-Ilan)

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