UPDATE 2-Egypt searches for lost border patrol

Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:03pm GMT

CAIRO, March 21 (Reuters) - The Egyptian military has lost contact with a border patrol at the country's southern frontier and a search is underway in coordination with neighbouring states, an army source and state media reported on Wednesday.

"This is a patrol that lost its coordinates today and we are coordinating with neighbouring states to find it," an army source told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

A headline flashed as urgent by the state broadcaster quoted a military source but gave no further details.

Egypt borders Sudan to the south and Libya and Chad to the southwest. The military has been governing the country of 80 million since Hosni Mubarak was swept from power last year.

"The patrol is not big," the army source said, adding that it periodically patrols the border while declining to give more details.

Egypt's southern border is mostly desert. Last March, security sources said the Egyptian army had shelled a convoy that had smuggled weapons from Sudan.

Officials in Sudan could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday. (Additional reporting by Marwa Awad; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

UPDATE 2-Egypt searches for lost border patrol | News by Country | Reuters