For months, human rights groups, non-governmental organisations and pro-independence supporters claimed that hundreds, even thousands had been killed.

Michael Barton: ''No evidence yet to confirm reports of mass killings''

But a UN representative in East Timor said that, although dozens of people had been killed and large numbers remained unaccounted for, no mass graves had yet been found.

"There have been crimes galore, but mass murder of the kind that you've seen in other parts of the world, so far no evidence has been uncovered," said Michel Barton, of the UN's humanitarian assistance office.

More than 90% of Dili's houses were destroyed, but no mass graves have been found

However, he said a final conclusion could not be reached until the entire territory had been secured.

Nearly 500,000 East Timorese fled their homes in September, when pro-Jakarta militias went on the rampage after the territory voted for independence from Indonesia.

Many of the refugees have spoken of militiamen indulging in an orgy of violence.

Disease fears

The UN estimates that 400,000 people remain unaccounted for, with many living rough in the mountains.

The BBC's Jill McGivering in Dili says Gen Cosgrove has dismissed fresh claims that militia leaders were close to Liquisa

Mr Barton warned that the onset of the rainy season, lack of food and poor living conditions had considerably increased the risk of disease.

The head of a newly-established international peacekeeping garrison in Liquisa, Jeremy Gillman-Wells, said he planned to go into the hills overlooking the coastal town and appeal to an estimated 30,000 displaced people to return to the town and surrounding villages.

No build-up

For his part, the Australian commander of the Interfet peacekeepers, General Peter Cosgrove, has dismissed media reports that militia groups are gathering in East Timor to launch an attack on his troops.

He said the reports were without foundation and he questioned the accuracy of television footage of the militia groups filmed on Wednesday by international journalists.

One anti-independence militia leader, Eurico Guterres, is said to have threatened to launch a guerrilla campaign against the peacekeepers.

Gen Cosgrove says the border with West Timor is still not secure

"I want to tell the world that the militias are not still just on the border, like the media says," Mr Guterres told the AP news agency.

"We are back in East Timor and behind [the peacekeepers'] lines," he said.

But General Cosgrove said reports that Mr Guterres had massed 150 fighters in Liquisa, some 35km (22 miles) west of the capital Dili were "plainly rubbish".

"There is an Interfet presence at Liquisa that gives the lie to the claim that people are prancing about in the town waving weapons," he added.

Interfet is building up troops in the western districts of East Timor to an expected peak of 3,000 in coming days.