RAMALLAH, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian security forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday arrested 13 Hamas supporters in the West Bank as part of a 16-month-old crackdown on the movement there, Hamas said.

    Hamas said in a statement sent to reporters that 13 of its supporters, including university students, were arrested in the cities of Nablus, Hebron, Ramallah and Qalqilia.

    The security forces, loyal to President Abbas' Fatah movement, have been cracking down on Hamas after the Islamic movement drove out pro-Abbas forces and took control of Gaza Strip in deadly fighting in June 2007.

    In response, Fatah also said that Hamas has cracked down against its supporters and members in the Gaza Strip.

    Earlier on Monday, Hamas security forces arrested three local journalists affiliated to Fatah in central Gaza Strip.

    The arrests took place as Egypt works to launch an inter-Palestinian dialogue to end the rift between the two movements.