An Egyptian policeman, Mohammed Ramadan, was shot dead on Monday on the borders with Israel by traffickers, while another one was injured in a mine blast, according to security sources.

The policeman man was shot during patrols in Wadi al-Azareq, south of Rafah city, in cross fire with traffickers helping a group of Africans trying to infiltrate into Israel, security sources told Xinhua.

The sources said that another policeman was injured in a mine blast near border point 36 in borders between Sinai and Israel.

Meanwhile, Egyptian security forces stopped five illegal African migrants trying to cross into Israel. They were two Ethiopians and three Eritreans.

The Egyptian borders are often destinations to illegal migrants especially Africans pursuing jobs in Tel Aviv but Egypt stepped up patrols to stop migrants in recent years.