Cairo - Egyptian security forces shot and killed on Tuesday two African men trying to illegally enter Israel at the Egyptian- Israeli Rafah border crossing, a security source said.

The source said that the two men, who carried no identification cards, were probably Sudanese.

Many African migrants transit through Egypt to seek asylum or work in Israel.

Since of the beginning of 2008, Egyptian police have arrested some 480 illegal migrants. The largest group arrested were Eritrean, with some 210 migrants.

Some 121 Sudanese migrants have been arrested since the beginning of the year. Thirty-six women and seven children have also been detained.

The Rafah border crossing is on the 250-kilometre Egyptian-Israeli frontier. (dpa)