Dili – International police in East Timor fired tear gas to disperse groups of youths fighting on the streets of the capital today and later arrested some at a refugee camp, witnesses said.

Youths hurling rocks clashed with others from a major refugee camp in Dili's Colmera area until the police working under UN authority intervened, witness and camp resident Teresa do Carmo said.

The incident was the latest in a series involving youth gangs on the streets of the seaside capital since deadly unrest in May that led to some 3,200 peacekeepers being deployed to maintain calm.

"I saw myself the Australian police fire five canisters of tear gas and none of us could see anything," 42-year-old Ms do Carmo said.

She said the police entered the camp and arrested about 30 young men living there and "wreaked havoc among the tents and damaged kitchen utensils that they found. Other people outside were the ones who provoked and pelted us, and then the (people here) responded. But police came and only arrested those living at the camps," she complained. "Police also seized our kitchen knife and firewood that we used to cook."

About 200 UN police and Australian troops encircled the camp, an AFP correspondent reported, while an Australian helicopter hovered overhead. He saw about 20 men detained and police confiscate knives and sticks. Police declined to immediately comment.

May's initial violence, which left at least 21 people dead, was triggered by the government's dismissal of some 600 soldiers who deserted the army complaining of discrimination.

Tens of thousands of East Timorese remain in refugee camps, still too afraid to return home amid the uncertain security.