The Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement said on Sunday that pro-Abbas security forces arrested 14 Hamas members and supporters in West Bank.

Hamas said the detentions were made on Saturday and overnight in different towns in the West Bank which is controlled by President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement; Hamas's bitter rival.

Most of the arrests were made in Nablus city where at least six Hamas supporters were seized from their houses, the statement explained.

The detainees included Imams and teachers.

Hamas and Fatah crack down against their political opponents in the territories they control; Hamas men in West Bank and Fatah people in Gaza.

The two movements used to exchange the crackdowns since June 2007 when Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and took control of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas says the recent wave of arrests was made a few days before a scheduled meeting with Fatah in Cairo to discuss reconciliation and restoring unity.