Egypt destroys tunnels

2009-10-12 16:26

Al-Arish - Egyptian police destroyed four smuggling tunnels in the border town of Rafah, an Egyptian security official said on Monday.

The tunnels were discovered in Salaheddin and Qomboz neighbourhoods in Rafah, which is bisected by Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip.

Inside the tunnels, police discovered a large number of materials used for construction including paint and cement piled inside plastic bags and ready to be smuggled to Gaza, the source told the German Press Agency dpa.

Palestinians have dug thousands of tunnels to smuggle goods and fuel from Egypt to the Gaza Strip after Israel imposed a tight blockade on the impoverished enclave more than two years ago.

Egypt has been under consistent international pressure, particularly from the United States and Israel, to curtail weapons smuggling across its border with the Gaza Strip.

Egyptian authorities have destroyed dozens of tunnels. Israel has also bombarded hundreds of them.

- SAPA