DARWIN, SEPT 18: Nine warships bound for the peacekeeping force in East Timor have left the shores of northern Australian port of Darwin on Saturday.The frigate Hmas Adelaide of the Australian navy pulled out of Darwin harbour shortly before 6 pm (1400 IST). Following the Australian ship is Britian's destroyer Hmas Glasgow of royal navy. Both the ships are equipped with guided missiles."The navy group has been ordered to proceed to sea in support of operations in East Timor," Australian Defense Forces spokesman Steve Ridgeway said. Nine ships had left or were in the process of leaving Darwin wharf in two groups, he told reporters.Major Debbie Noble, of the British forces, also confirmed that the ships were heading to East Timor. It was not certain how long the trip to East Timor would take. The violence-hit Indonesian province is located about 600 kilometers from Darwin.The fleet is part of an international force that will include thousands of peacekeepers. It was set up by the United NationsSecurity Council to restore order in East Timor.An advance team of the UN-approved peacekeepers was due in Dili on Sunday, with actual troop deployment expected early next week. Japan and China too have decided to join peacekeepers from more than 20 countries gathering in Darwin.Indonesia's armed forces Commander General Wiranto on Saturday said his troops would not join a UN-authorised multinational force in East Timor."We reject an offer to establish a joint commando. It's up to the UN to decide who will lead the team," Wiranto was quoted as saying in the Indonesian media. The Indonesian military personnel have already began pulling out of the East Timor ahead of the arrival of a multinational force, whose arrival into East Timor was postponed till Sunday to give the Indonesian troops time to pull out. Before the pull-out started, there were 7,600 soldiers and 7,100 police in East Timor.Meanwhile, the United Nations on Saturday stepped up its campaign to drop food to starving refugees in EastTimor, sending two Australian air force C-130 Hercules cargo planes to the province. UN spokesman David Wimhurst said 20 tons of food were to be dropped to two areas outside the capital Dili, following Friday's two flights over the same region. Two Air Force Hercules each delivered 10 tons of rice to East Timor on Friday, the long-awaited first food drops to the region.At least 25 people were killed and dozens others injured in new clashes between Muslims and Christians in the strife-torn province of Maluku, news reports said on Saturday.Indonesian daily reported that the new communal fight broke out early on Friday morning when groups of people attacked rival residents in Kairatu city of West Seram sub-district in central Maluku regency. Hundreds of homes in three villages of Waimital Gemba, Waitase and Telaga were set ablaze, while dozens of people were slashed or hacked to death.
