The commander of the Australian-led peacekeeping force in East Timor says his troops have clashed with several groups of armed pro-Indonesian militiamen who tried to cross from Indonesian territory into the East Timor exclave of Oecussi.

He said one militiaman was believed to have been shot dead.

It's the first time for months that serious clashes have been reported between militiamen and peacekeepers. General Cosgrove said that in the first incident, about twenty gunmen had crossed the border and attacked local civilians.

They'd fled after exchanging fire with peacekeeping troops.

An hour later, another group had crossed the border and encountered a peacekeeping patrol.

Shots were fired by both sides and a militia member who was seriously wounded was believed to have died later.

Several other militiamen were wounded.

Later, militiamen had crossed the border for a third time, shooting at members of the international force.

The general said no peacekeepers had been wounded. General Cosgrove accused the Indonesian military commander in West Timor, General Kiki Syahnakri, of colluding with the militia gangs.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service