Monday, November 24, 2008

REUTERS - Egypt police kill African migrant on Israel border

Mon 24 Nov 2008

RAFAH, Egypt, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Egyptian police shot dead an unidentified African migrant on the border with Israel on Monday as he tried to enter the Jewish state illegally, a security official said.

A police patrol spotted the man near the border and opened fire on him when he tried to escape, ignoring an order to stop, a hospital source said.

The hospital source added that the man had been shot in the stomach, thigh and leg and was dead on arrival at El Arish hospital. The dead man carried no form of identification, the sources added.

His death brings to 27 the number of African migrants killed by Egyptian security on the border with Israel this year.

The migrants, mainly from Sudan, Ethiopia or Eritrea, are looking for work or asylum in Israel.

For years Egypt tolerated tens of thousands of Africans on its territory but its attitude hardened after it came under pressure to halt rising numbers of Africans trying to cross the border into Israel.

Earlier in November, U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Watch called on Egypt to stop shooting African migrants.

(Reporting by Yusri Mohamed and Mohamed Yousef)

http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnLO61803.html

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