A number of Palestinians, early Monday, suffered suffocation during clashes with Israeli occupation forces in Auref village, south of West Bank city of Nablus.

Confrontations erupted between the Palestinians and the Israeli occupation soldiers following an attack carried out by extremist settlers at dawn, a statement by the village council secretary Adel Amer said.

During the confrontations, Israeli soldiers fired metal-coated rubber bullets and tear gas canisters against the locals, leaving a number of them suffocated, the statement added.

Israeli occupation forces stationed near the village's secondary school and prevented students from approaching it, it added, stressing that the clashes are still ongoing till this moment.