Security official says guards fired warning shots to stop African migrants from crossing border

Published: 05.02.10, 16:20 / Israel News



An Egyptian security official said border guards fatally shot two African migrants and arrested 11 others trying to cross illegally into Israel.




The official said the guards fired warning shots in two separate incidents Sunday to stop them from crossing the border south of Rafah. One of killed migrants was Eritrean and the other was unidentified.



The official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the 11 migrants - six Eritreans, four Ethiopians and a South African - were in two groups and detained further south.




Many migrants seeking political asylum and jobs try to cross into Israel with the help of Bedouin traffickers. Egypt has killed dozens of migrants in the past two years, drawing criticism from rights groups.




Migrants at Israel-Egypt border :