GAZA, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that it would expand its Auxiliary Forces to12,000 troops, defying a call by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to outlaw the Hamas-controlled forces.

    Islam Shahwan, spokesman for the troops told reporters during a news conference in Gaza that "We have announced this officially and opened the door before the Palestinian people to join the Auxiliary Forces."

    Meanwhile, Khaled Abu Helal, the spokesman of Interior Ministry, said Abbas' decision to ban the Auxiliary Forces was a result of continuing incitement by his aides and those "rebels" against the forces, warning that "Any harm against the forces would be faced with force and strictness."

    He recalled that lots of statements by Israeli and American officials and some aides of President Abbas were made against the Auxiliary Forces, saying that some 60 of them were killed by Israel since they were created last April.

    Earlier, Abbas declared that the Auxiliary Forces, controlled by Interior Minister Said Siam and established in Gaza after Hamas took power, were illegal and outlawed, adding that the forces should be integrated into the official security departments.