Palestinian police discover bombs on busy road in West Bank city

A potential attack on the Palestinian city of Tulkarem was foiled after local police found and dismantled bombs buried on the sides of a main road in the city.

Palestinian police spokesman Loai Irzeeqat said police on Friday found "suspicious objects" on the Allar-Attil road, which were later discovered to be highly-explosive bombs.

He said the explosives were found buried on the side of the road, but heavy rainfall exposed them to residents who then informed the police, according to the Palestinian Authority's [PA] official news agency Wafa.

The bomb squad arrived shortly after and began working on dismantling them, with no injuries taking place. It is unclear who planted the bombs.

Tulkarem is inside the occupied West Bank and is subject to Israel's settlement expansion project, leaving nearly 62,000 of its residents at risk to settler violence.

Israel's settlements in the occupied territories are considered illegal under international law and seen by the international community as a major obstacle to peace with the Palestinians.

About 400,000 Israelis live in illegal settlements in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory occupied by Israel for 50 years. 

A further 200,000 live in East Jerusalem, annexed by Israel in a move never recognised by the international community.