Egyptian security sources said that security agencies in North Sinai arrested 15 African immigrants south of Rafah during their attempt to sneak into Israel through the borders with Egypt. Sources said that police forces posted at the international sign 22 south of Rafah crossing caught a group of smugglers during their attempt to help African immigrants sneak into Israeli territories by crossing over barbed wires. Sources also said that the immigrants were arrested following a short chase where the smugglers fired gunshots at the police. The Africans arrested, the sources clarified, include eight Sudanese and seven Eritreans. The immigrants admitted in initial investigations to have attempted to sneak into Israel in search of work and that each of them paid $1000 to smuggler gangs in exchange for facilitating their entry into Israeli territories.