One Egyptian and Three Israeli Border Guards Killed in Shootout

© AP Photo / Tsafrir AbayovAn Israeli soldier closes a gate leading to the border in military base following a deadly shootout in southern Israel along the Egyptian border, Saturday, June 3, 2023.
An Israeli soldier closes a gate leading to the border in military base following a deadly shootout in southern Israel along the Egyptian border, Saturday, June 3, 2023.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 03.06.2023
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According to local media, attempts to smuggle drugs are common at the Israeli-Egyptian border. Efforts to thwart them reportedly lead to shootouts between the guards and the smugglers, as well as between security officers of the two countries.
An Egyptian border guard was killed in a shootout with the Israeli military near their border, the Egyptian Armed Forces confirmed in a statement on Saturday, adding that the deceased was pursuing criminals involved in drug smuggling.

"A member of the security forces responsible for guarding the international border chased criminal elements involved in drug smuggling [...] on Saturday morning. During the pursuit, [Egyptian] security forces violated the border [with Israel] and engaged in an exchange of fire that left three Israeli security officers dead, two wounded, and one Egyptian border guard dead," the Egyptian Army said.

According to an Egyptian military spokesperson, search operations and inspections are underway in the area of the incident and necessary security measures have been taken, as well as "legal measures regarding the incident". The Egyptian Army expressed its condolences to the families of the dead.
Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) press service reported that three IDF soldiers were killed in a shooting near the border, and that the attacker turned out to be an Egyptian policeman, who was also killed in the armed clash.

"During a confrontation with an assailant on Israeli territory some time ago, an exchange of fire broke out between the assailant and Israeli Army soldiers. The soldiers responded with live fire and neutralized the attacker," the Israeli Army said in a statement.

Attempts to smuggle drugs are often thwarted at the Israeli-Egyptian border, according to the Times of Israel. There have been several shootouts between smugglers and border guards in recent years.
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