JERUSALEM (WAFA) – The Israeli police forces raided al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on Wednesday, firing tear gas canisters, stun grenades and firebombs towards the worshipers, leaving 25 of them suffocated with tear gas, according to media sources and witnesses.

Director of al-Aqsa Mosque, Omar Keswani, said around 1000 policemen, backed by Border guards, raided the mosque in the morning hours, leading to confrontations with the worshipers, who responded by chanting religious slogans.

According to witnesses, police cordoned off the southern ceiled building of the mosque and fired tear gas canisters and stun grenades towards the worshipers, who took refuge in the mosque building, as well as towards a staff of the Islamic Waqf.

A guard of the mosque was arrested and assaulted by police during the confrontations.

To be noted, Jewish fanatics had earlier warned to enter the mosque to perform rituals, celebrating the Jewish Passover holidays, a precedent which was declared outright rejected by the Muslim worshipers in the mosque.

Source: Palestine News & Information Agency - WAFA