19-year-old shepherd shot dead in West Bank

Nablus: Palestinians and Israeli police say a 19-year-old shepherd has been found shot to death in the West Bank.

Palestinians say Yihya Atta Bani Minya of the town of Aqrabeh was shot by settlers. Palestinian local government official Ghassan Daglas says two teenagers saw a white car belonging to settlers pursue the shepherd late on Saturday and then heard shots.

Israeli police spokesman Danny Poleg says the youth's body was found with gunshot wounds and taken to an Israeli forensics center for an autopsy. Police are investigating, he said on Sunday.

Recent months have seen a spike in violence by West Bank settlers against Palestinians, and in some cases against Israeli security forces. Settlers say the violence is a tactic meant to deter Israeli authorities from evacuating settlements.