Singapore – Thirteen people were injured when Indonesian police and military joined forces early on Sunday to disperse demonstrators at a resort on the Indonesian island of Bintan, the resort operator said.

But the operator, Singapore-based SembCorp Industries, said there was no disturbance at the resort and all six hotels there continued to operate as usual. Protests over land-rights claims by villagers have been going on in Bintan for the past week.

SembCorp managing director and deputy chief executive officer, Tay Siew Choon, said: "It is regrettable that force had to be used to disperse the demonstrators.

"This past week has been a harrowing time for all of us who have a stake in Bintan – both the villagers as well as the investors," added Mr Tay in a statement.

Sembcorp did not say how many people were involved in the latest protest and Bintan police were not immediately available for comment.

The SembCorp statement said the injured were initially treated at the resort's medical centre and subsequently taken to Tanjong Pinang town on another part of the island.

Four protesters who were seriously hurt were earlier evacuated by speedboat to Tanjong Pinang for treatment, it said.

SembCorp, which also operates Bintan Industrial Estate, said the industrial park had been free from protesters since Wednesday.