Malaysia yesterday sent the first of two batches of police bound for peacekeeping operations in troubled East Timor.

The contingent of 120 personnel from the Royal Malaysia Police departed from a military airbase, while a second batch of 110 are due to leave today, said the national Bernama news agency.

A logistics team of 20 police officers left for East Timor on June 26.

Inspector-General of Police Bakri Omar said the six-month mission would see the police officers stationed in East Timor for three months, and then replaced with another team.

The personnel are mostly from the military-trained general operation forces and crime investigation department which specialise in public order.

Malaysia has already sent 209 soldiers to Timor to help restore order after widespread unrest that was triggered by a military rebellion.

The Malaysian troops are securing several strategic locations including power stations, oil depots and hospitals.

More than 2,200 peacekeepers, the majority from Australia but also from New Zealand, Portugal and Malaysia, are operating in Timor amid the turmoil triggered by then-premier Mari Alkatiri's sacking of 600 soldiers in March.

Fighting between rival factions of the security forces and gang warfare has left at least 21 people dead and forced some 150,000 to flee their homes in a nation of less than one million people.