EL-ARISH: African migrants attempting to cross into Israel illegally from Egypt shot dead an Egyptian policeman on Monday, a security official said.
Mohammed Ramadan, 21, was killed as he patrolled the border in Wadi Al-Azareq, 20 km south of the Rafah border crossing, the official said. The assailants got away.
In a separate incident, a second policeman, Rabieh Ramadan Nawfal, 21, was wounded on the border but security officials went back on an initial report that it was the result of gunfire by migrants and said it was the result of unexploded ordnance probably left over from the Arab-Israeli wars.
The porous desert border between Egypt and Israel has become a major trafficking route for migrants, not only would-be African workers but also east European women headed to work voluntarily or involuntarily in the sex trade.
Egypt has stepped up its border controls in recent years but has drawn criticism from human rights watchdogs for its readiness to use force to prevent illegal crossings.
Last year, Egyptian security forces killed at least 28 African illegals at the frontier. -AFP
