EL-ARISH (Egypt): Nine Africans were arrested early on Friday trying to cross illegally into Israel, a security official said.

The nine, from Ivory Coast, Eritrea and Mali, were caught some 6 kilometres south of the Rafah border crossing point, said the official. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press.

The illegal migrants told police that they paid hundreds of dollars to smugglers in Cairo to help them cross into Israel, and that they camped in the desert for one night before the smugglers brought them to this border area, the official said.

They also said they were hoping to be able to make a living and find jobs in Israel, he added.

Israel estimates that 2,800 people, mostly from Africa, have entered the country illegally through its border with Egypt in recent years searching for jobs.

The number shot up last summer, apparently as word spread of job opportunities in Israel and a more lenient policy toward refugees. As many as 50 people arrived each day in June, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.—AP