Amnesty urges Egypt to probe shootings of Africans near Israel border

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Amnesty International on Thursday accused Egypt of using "excessive force" against illegal migrants trying to sneak into Israel, and called on authorities to launch an investigation into the recent killings of five Africans on the border. The London-based human rights group urged the Egyptian government to "protect the human rights of individuals intercepted at the border with Israel" and immediately launch a "thorough, independent and impartial investigation" into the recent killings. The five Africans - two women and three men from Sudan, Eritrea and Ivory Coast - were killed in separate incidents near the Egypt-Israel border since late January. They were believed to have paid hundreds of dollars to human traffickers to help them cross into Israel.