CAIRO (Halbeeg)- Egyptian authorities have arrested six Somalis for entering the North African nation illegally.
Egypt is believed to be a transit point for illegal immigrants heading to Europe via the Mediterranean.
Egyptian local media said the six were arrested in an operation that took place in Basra city suburb in Cairo town.
They were detained at a nearby police station.
It is also unclear how long the migrants would be detained and if they would be deported back to their home country.
Somali embassy in Cairo has not yet commented on the operation to hunt Somali nationals in Egypt.
The Egyptian government has stepped up efforts to curb widespread illegal immigration.
The move comes amid cases of human smuggling have been on the rise in the region with hundreds of young men and women from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia are finding their way into European countries through Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea in search of employment.
Egyptian, Syrian and Iraqi migrants reportedly also follow this route, which has led thousands to their deaths on the sea as over-crowded boats often sink.
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