Egypt police close Rafah crossing in protest over kidnappings

EL-ARISH, Egypt (Ma'an) -- Egyptian police on Friday closed the Rafah crossing on Gaza's border in protest at the abduction of their colleagues.

The police closed the gates of Rafah crossing and prevented general and military intelligence officers from entering the terminal in protest at the kidnapping of their colleagues, a Ma'an reporter said.

The police said they would not reopen Rafah crossing until their colleagues were released.

Gunmen on Thursday ambushed two minibuses in Sinai's Wadi al-Akhdar and detained seven Egyptian servicemen.

Four of the captured men worked at Rafah crossing, sources at the terminal said, identifying them as Ahmad Osama Fathi, Karim al-Husini Ibrahim, Ahmad Abed al-Hamid, and Ahmad Abed al-Bade.

The three others were identified as border guards Ibrahim Subhi, Mohammad Abed al-Aziz Mohammad, and Mohammad Shaban. more