Israel troops in exchange of fire on Egypt's border

AFP, Wednesday 1 Aug 2012

Israeli military spokeswoman confirms that a group of Israeli soldiers were involved in an exchange of fire across the Egyptian border

Israeli troops engaged in a brief exchange of fire with unidentified gunmen across the southern border with the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula on Wednesday, a military spokeswoman said.

No-one was wounded in the exchange which took place shortly after troops arrested three "suspected infiltrators" sneaking across the frontier, she said.

"IDF (Israel Defence Forces) soldiers were travelling along the border when they saw three suspected infiltrators. After they apprehended them, they heard gunshots, and opened fire towards them," she said.

An Israeli military source said initial checks suggested the gunfire was an exchange between Egyptian security forces and smugglers.

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