Egypt border
Photo: AP
Egypt army fires at infiltrators, hits IDF jeep
Disaster averted as IDF troops nab infiltrators crossing into Israel from Egypt
Close call on southern border: The vehicle of an IDF regiment commander was damaged early Friday after Egyptian forces apparently fired at a group of infiltrators trying to cross into Israel.
No injuries were reported in the incident.
The unusual incident took place some 30 kilometers north of Eilat. The IDF force, which was made up of reservists, was engaged in anti-infiltration operations and spotted a group of some 10 people, apparently Sudanese, trying to enter Israel.
Egyptian troops in the area fired at the infiltrators, wounding a female lightly and hitting the regiment commander's jeep.
Military officials in the IDF's Southern Command launched a probe into the incident early Friday, initially believing that the soldiers were shot at by criminals engaged in smuggling operations. However, later it became increasingly apparent that the Egyptian army was responsible for the fire.
"Fortunately no soldiers were hurt in the incident, but it could have certainly ended in a difficult, needless way," an IDF source told Ynet. Following the incident, all infiltrators were nabbed by IDF troops.
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