Cairo - Egyptian border guards arrested 114 African migrants from different nationalities who were on their way to cross to Israel through the northern Sinai city of al-Arish, 380 KM north east of Cairo, a security source said on Monday.

The source said that security patrols caught the hopeful migrants hiding inside a truck on as-Salaam bridge, across the Suez Canal, which joins al-Ismailya governorate and the Sinai peninsula.

The driver was arrested for human trafficking.

Many African migrants attempt to cross from Egyptian territories to Israel in the hope to gain asylum and jobs in Israel. Local human traffickers are believed to charge migrants up to 5,000 dollars each to aid their illegal entry across the desert border.

According to Egyptian security sources, more than 600 illegal migrants, most of them Africans, have been arrested so far in 2008.

Since the beginning of this year, more than 25 Africans have been shot dead by Egyptian security forces, an act severely criticized by human rights groups. (dpa)