EL ARISH, Egypt, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Traffickers trying to take a group of African migrants into Israel shot dead an Egyptian policeman on the border on Monday, police sources said.

Mohamed Ahmed Hassanein, a 21-young-old conscript in the Central Security force, was shot in the chest in an exchange of fire about 16 km (10 miles) from the Mediterranean coast. He died in hospital later.

Another Egyptian policeman, Mahmoud al-Shenawi, 21, was shot in the leg on the border further south earlier in the day.

Three policemen and 19 African migrants have now been killed in clashes on the border so far this year. The Africans, mainly from Sudan and Eritrea, want to enter Israel to work but the Egyptian police have instructions to prevent them. (Reporting by Yusri Mohamed, Writing by Jonathan Wright; editing by Mariam Karouny)

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