African migrant shot dead on Egypt-Israel border

Refugee dies as Egyptian police fire on a group of Africans trying to sneak into Israel from the Sinai Peninsula
AFP

A migrant died on Saturday when Egyptian police fired on a group of Africans trying to sneak across the border into Israel from the Sinai peninsula, a security official said.

"Police opened fire on a group of African migrants who were trying to cross the border into Israel south of Rafah," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

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"One of the migrants, whose identity has not yet been established, was hit by two bullets," he added.

The official could not say if the rest of the group were arrested or managed to flee.

The death brings to 17 the number of migrants killed by Egyptian police at the border since the beginning of the year.

The 250-kilometre (155-mile) Egyptian-Israeli frontier has become a major transit route for migrants, asylum-seekers and drug smugglers.

Dozens of migrants have also been arrested in recent months as Egyptian police try to halt the constant stream into Israel.