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    CANBERRA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Australian troops deployed in violence-torn Timor-Leste's capital of Dili have secured major facilities there, according to the Australian Defense Force (ADF) on Saturday.

    

Australian soldiers patrol on an armored chopper carrier in Dili May 26, 2006. (Xinhua/AFP Photo)

The Vice Chief of the ADF Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie saidat a press briefing here that the UN compound, police headquarters, government buildings and Dili's main hospital are among the facilities secured by Australian troops.

    Australian forces will fan out into the troubled areas in Dili,he said, adding "we will relieve the tension in those areas."

    Australia has sent in hundreds of troops in Dili to the request of the Timor-Leste government since last Thursday.

    The remainder of Australia's 1,300-member force committed to the peacekeeping mission are expected to arrive in Timor-Leste by early Sunday morning, according to Gillespie.

    He said the on-going gang fighting in Dili will calm as more Australian forces go out of their base at the airport to other parts of the city.

    He said Australian forces will encourage disengagement of all parties in the fight, before "we can provide a military observer capacity at each location." Then, he said, Timor-Leste will start addressing its underlying political problems.

    Fighting erupted between pro-government soldiers and rebel soldiers last Tuesday. It has evolved into gun battle and looting which involves civilian gangs and police. As many as 23 people have been killed in the violence in Dili for the past four days, media reports said.

    Apart from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Portugal have also announced to send troops or police to Timor-Leste. Enditem