An Israeli military source reported that border-guard troops shot and killed on Friday at dawn two gunmen, and injured a third one after they infiltrated into Israeli territory through the Egyptian borders.
The source stated that soldiers fired at the gunmen after they infiltrated through the borders for a distance of 100 meters “and opened fire at Israeli troops”.
One Israeli soldier was moderately injured while exchanging fire with the gunmen who, according to an Israeli military spokeswoman, were wearing Egyptian troops uniforms. The third gunman, managed to return to the Egyptian side of the borders.
Also, army sources reported that soldiers found Kalashnikov rifles near the bodies of the two gunmen.
“The gunmen opened fire at an Armor Corps ambush near Mount Sagi in the Negev”, the sources claimed, “and then stormed the soldiers’ position”.
Recently, Israel intensified its military presence along the borders with Egypt in an attempt “to foil attempt to smuggle arms and fighters through the borders”.
Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that Egyptian police sources said that the two gunmen killed in the clashes are members of the Egyptian security forces, and that they exchanged fire with the Israeli troops after crossing the border.
“The reason for their infiltration into Israel was not immediately clear”, said Isam Al-Sheik, the head of Egyptian police in the border area”, Haaretz added.
Meanwhile, an Egyptian Interior Ministry spokesman stated that he heard of a clash at the border, but added that he had not heard they were wearing Egyptian army uniforms.
According to Israeli media sources, Egypt sent an official objection letter to Israel after the death of the two men, and demanded a clear explanation of the incident.
