This content was published on June 3, 2023 – 09:49 am. Jun 3, 2023 – 9:49 am
Jerusalem, 3 June (EFE). – Two Israelis were shot dead in a “security incident” at the border with Egypt this Saturday morning, the Israeli army reported.
Israeli forces confirmed that another exchange of fire later broke out in the same area.
The first incident happened near Mount Sagi in the Negev desert and the circumstances are being investigated by the military.
“There was a security incident in the Paran Regional Brigade area this morning. There are two injured. “The Defense Forces are investigating the circumstances of the incident and will provide more details later,” said Israeli Army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
The Israeli-Egyptian border is largely peaceful, but attempts to smuggle drugs across the separation fence are frequent, with occasional gunfire between Israeli soldiers and drug traffickers.
The Egyptian army also frequently targets drug traffickers and jihadist groups in the North Sinai desert, sometimes leading to unintentional cross-border shootings.
Sinai jihadists carried out several attacks against Israel in 2011 and 2012. An attack in August 2011 killed six Israeli civilians, a soldier and an anti-terrorist police officer, and five Egyptian soldiers.
Hours before Saturday’s first shooting, Israeli forces foiled an attempt to smuggle drugs across the border and seized an estimated NIS 1.5 million ($400,000) worth of contraband, military officials said. EFE
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