Egyptian border forces shot dead five Sudanese migrants who were trying to cross from Egypt’s turbulent North Sinai region into Israel on Monday, the military said in a statement.
The military added that security personnel tasked with protecting the border spotted a group attempting to sneak though the borders in coordination with criminal elements who are involved in illegal immigration.
The military clarified that the officers fired many warning shots and moved to arrest the trespassers, all Sudanese, who then shot at the security forces. The ensuing fire-fight resulted in the death of five people, the injury of six and the arrest of another five.
On 15 November, security sources said that Egyptian police found the bodies of 15 African migrants, who appeared to have been shot dead in the same region.
Sudan’s foreign minister clarified that the migrants were Sudanese, 16 in number not 15, accusing the Egyptian police force of killing them.
Reporting by Nourhan El-Sebahy
