Jakarta – The death toll from nearly two weeks of ethnic violence in Borneo rose to about 260 when new attacks on villages killed at least 15 people and dozens of refugees died of injuries or illnesses, newspapers reported Saturday.

Most of the victims have been members of the Madurese ethnic minority in West Borneo, whose homes and villages have been set on fire by local Dayaks and Malays.

In the latest outbreak of violence, about 180 Madurese homes were set on fire Friday in Sijangkung, a town in Sambas regency, the Media Indonesia newspaper reported Saturday. About 15 people were killed, and no Indonesian soldiers were seen in the area.

The evening daily Suara Pembaruan reported that at least 41 Madurese refugees who fled to Pontianak city from the hardest-hit areas have died in hospitals there in the past week.

The 56 new deaths brought to about 260 the total number of people killed since the ethnic clashes began in West Borneo two weeks ago, said H.M. Torisz, chief of the provincial health office.

He also warned that the more than 25,000 refugees in the city could suffer diarrhea unless more drinking water is made available in the stadium and buildings that are sheltering them.

At least 278 refugees are hospitalized and 2,705 already being treated as outpatients, he said.

The violence pits Dayaks and Malays against immigrants from Madura island in East Java. The Madurese are resented by the indigenous people for farmland and jobs they now control.

The military has sent in about 3,000 police and soldiers to the region, but they are outnumbered by the Dayak and Malay warriors, who have been using spears, swords and homemade guns in their attacks on many Madurese villages.