Egypt border: IDF opens fire on smugglers, infiltrators hurt

Gunfight between soldiers, armed Egyptian smugglers leaves three Chinese nationals injured; migrants airlifted to Beersheba hospital for treatment; smugglers flee

Yoav Zitun|Published: 05.28.12 , 13:43

Three Chinese migrants attempting to infiltrate the Israeli border in the early hours of Monday morning were injured during exchanges of fire between IDF soldiers and four Egyptian smugglers. There were no injuries among the Israeli troops.

The armed Egyptians, who were trying to smuggle the Chinese nationals across the border, fled back into the Sinai Peninsula. One of the smugglers was injured from IDF fire. The injured border jumpers were evacuated in an Israel Air Force helicopter to the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba.

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Medical officials said one of the infiltrators sustained moderate wounds. Another has already been released, while the third infiltrator was awaiting treatment outside the hospital's emergency room.

Fence on southern border (Photo: Yoav Zitun)

The area in which the incident occurred, between Ein Netafim and Mount Sagi, is known as a smuggling route, but usually the smugglers part from the infiltrators a few hundred meters from the border fence.

IDF officials said the border fence has prevented dozens of infiltrations.

Last week a demonstration against the constant influx of migrants into south Tel Aviv's neighborhoods turned violent. Seventeen people were arrested for attacking migrants and looting their stores.