NABLUS (Ma'an) -- Palestinian Authority security forces arrested three armed Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Thursday, officials said.

Police pulled over a red, Israeli-plated vehicle driving in central Nablus and discovered the soldiers, security sources told Ma'an. Weapons were also found in the vehicle.

The soldiers were taken to a police station in Nablus and were expected to be transferred to the Israeli side after coordination with a liaison office.

An Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed that three soldiers were briefly detained by the Palestinian Authority. She said they entered Nablus by mistake.

Nablus is designated as Area A, which is theoretically under full Palestinian security control.

Israeli citizens are forbidden under Israeli law from entering West Bank cities. Palestinian security services occasionally detain Israeli civilians who enter Area A without approval.

In April 2011 Palestinian police opened fire and killed an Israeli settler leaving a holy site in Nablus. The visit to Joseph's Tomb had not been coordinated in advance.

Israeli forces raid West Bank cities every night but rarely enter during daylight hours.