Ramallah, Mar 3 (IANS): A Palestinian teenager was shot dead wby Israeli soldiers in a village near the West Bank city of Qalqilya, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement.

Mohamed Islim, 15, died after he was shot in the back by Israeli soldiers who stormed the village of Azzun, Xinhua news agency reported citing the statement as saying.

Of the two injured teenagers, one was in serious conditions and has been admitted to the intensive care unit at the governmental hospital in the city, where doctors tried to save his life, it added.

The statement not not however prove further details.

But, Qalqilya's governor Rafeh Rawajbeh told Xinhua that Israeli soldiers opened fire at the teenagers during clashes that broke out near the city's main road.

"It is an awful crime that should be condemned as Israeli forces directly targeted the boys," he said.

Israeli authorities have not commented on the development.

Israeli Radio, which quoted army sources, said that soldiers opened fire at the Palestinians after they threw Molotov cocktail bottles at Jewish settlers near Qalqilya.

Islim's death came amid mounting tension between Israelis and the Palestinians that has been going on since January 1.

Official Palestinian figures show that 68 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers so far this year.

Meanwhile, official Israeli figures reveal that 13 Israelis were killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians.