Cairo - Egyptian police on Tuesday shot dead an Eritrean migrant attempting to enter Israel illegally via Egypt's Rafah border crossing, security sources said.

Police killed Khasoum Tasfa, 40, and injured Barham Majin, also from Eritrea. The two men had attempted to cross the border at Rafah on the 250-kilometre Egyptian-Israeli frontier.

Since of the beginning of 2008, Egyptian police have arrested some 480 illegal immigrants. Eritreans make up the largest group, with 210 arrested, and Sudanese the second-largest, with 121 arrested. At least 36 women and seven children have also been detained.

Most African migrants in Egypt try to seek asylum or find work in Israel, with many paying an average of 5,000 dollars to people trafficking organizations in their quest to enter the country. (dpa)