Darwin – Twelve people have been killed and more than 200 arrested in the town of Baucau in the past two days, East Timorese activists said yesterday.

More deaths and arrests were suspected in the capital Dili, as well as in Los Palos.

Students and primary school teachers were among those arrested following rebel attacks against Indonesian forces.

"There is strong evidence to indicate that close to 2,000 East Timorese might be rounded up all over the territory in the security sweep," the Darwin-based East Timor International Support Centre added in a statement.

The claims came the day after a significant increase in police and troop movements – including roadblocks – was observed in Dili.

On Tuesday, the military announced that no foreign journalists would be permitted to work in East Timor, and a correspondent from Australian Associated Press was ordered to leave.

On Saturday rebels killed 16 police and a soldier in a grenade attack on a truck near Baucau – the worst violence in East Timor since 1991.

Rebels also opened fire on security forces sent to the region for Indonesia's elections last Thursday, injuring 11.

The support centre called on the international community to intervene to protect innocent East Timorese and appealed to the Indonesian forces "not to look for scapegoats".