Jakarta – Indonesia has arrested nearly 600 people for alleged involvement in ethnic riots in South Sulawesi province, the official Antara news agency reported on Sunday.

At least six people were killed in the riots last week in the provincial capital of Ujung Pandang and hundreds of houses belonging to ethnic Chinese were attacked after a mentally ill man of Chinese descent killed a local nine-year-old girl.

Antara, quoting official sources, said 73 of the 588 people arrested had been charged. The agency said 67 cars, 1,471 shops and 100 motorcycles were burned during the riots. Thirteen businesses were burned down and 40 damaged.

Thirteen people were wounded by stray bullets, adding that the situation in the port city of 800,000 had gradually returned to normal.

It gave no further details. Government officials could not be reached for comment.