GAZA, April 27 (Xinhuanet) -- Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas condemned Tuesday night's rocket attack on the southern Israeli town of Sderot, Palestinian Radio "Voice of Palestine" reported on Wednesday.

    Palestinian militants launched from northern Gaza Strip three homemade medium-range rockets at Sderot, Israeli army sources said, adding that the rockets landed on an empty area causing no injuries.

    "Such attacks are carried out by individuals," Abbas was quoted as saying. "It is a violation of the Palestinian national consensus and never serves the Palestinian legal cause."

    "Such attacks should be stopped by all means," Abbas added.

    A group called the Salah el Dein Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks on Sderot.

    The group said that the attack was a response to the daily Israeli attacks against the Palestinians, and a message that the group is not committed to any truce with Israel.

    Abbas has ordered Palestinian security forces to deploy in the Gaza Strip to prevent militant groups from attacking Israeli targets since he took office in January.

    He also won pledge from militant groups to observe a ceasefire declared at a Feb. 8 summit between him and Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon. Enditem