Deputy battalion commander who captured the terrorist in Auja: "We will not let terror harm us"
Major A., a commander in the Duvdevan unit: "We are happy to take part - we are here always to protect the country and the sense of security of the residents, at any time and in any place we are needed."
Following a pursuit of a few hours, the terrorist who stabbed a soldier on leave near the village of Auja was captured yesterday, Sunday. Numerous forces scanned the area in the Hebron region until they closed in on the terrorist, a 16-year-old boy who had a dispute with his family members and left his home with the explicit goal of finding and stabbing a Jewish victim.
Upon receiving the report of the attack in the Auja area, additional IDF forces rushed to the scene and began a pursuit. At the end of the operation, guided by intelligence and surveillance, the Duvdevan unit captured the terrorist.
Deputy commander of the 47th Battalion, Major A., who was with the force, stated:
"During the day, a stabbing attack took place in our sector. We, together with the additional forces, caught the terrorist. We will not let terror harm us. We will continue our mission in the strongest way possible."
Major A. added:
"In the morning hours, the unit's forces rushed to the scene in the village of Auja while many IDF forces in the area were surrounding the village. We joined the event, began a pursuit, and carried out scans until we managed to close the circle and succeed in catching the terrorist. We are happy to take part - we are here always to protect the country and the sense of security of the residents, at any time and in any place we are needed."
The store where the attack took place is one of the largest and most well-known in Auja, and for years it has served as a stopping point for Israelis traveling on the Jordan Valley road. Every day, many Israelis stop there for shopping.
In recent months, security officials have warned repeatedly that one of the main threats in Judea and Samaria is precisely lone-wolf attacks. The intensive activity of the IDF and the Shin Bet makes it difficult for terrorist organizations to build infrastructure and carry out complex attacks, but a lone terrorist who acts on a momentary decision is much harder to detect in advance.
