Al-Arish - Ma’an - Egyptian authorities detained nine African immigrants, injuring six, who were all attempting to cross into Israel, Egyptian police announced Friday.

The nine were taken in south of the Kerem Shalom crossing, at the southeast tip of the Gaza Strip, in two separate groups.

A first group of six Eritreans were injured by Egyptian night-guard police, while a second group, also from Eritrea, was taken in just north of the first group.

The detained migrants said they had paid 9,000 US dollars to be smuggled into Israel, where they hoped to find work.