EL-ARISH: Egyptian police shot dead two Eritreans on Saturday as the would-be migrants tried to cross the border illegally into Israel, a security official told AFP.
Four people were also wounded during the shooting, including one who was in a critical condition, and another person was arrested.
Police fired warning shots first and, when (the migrants) refused to stop, the police were forced to shoot them, the official said.
Two Eritreans aged 33 and 31 died on the spot, while the wounded, also Eritreans, were taken to El-Arish hospital in north Sinai for treatment, the official said.
Egypt has stepped up controls on the 250-kilometer border, a major trafficking route for migrants from Africa, but it has drawn criticism for its readiness to use force to stop illegal crossings.
Earlier this month, the United Nations urged Egyptian forces to stop shooting African migrants trying to enter Israel. Around 60 have been killed in such incidents in the past two and half years. -AFP
