Australian authorities fired water cannon to disperse up to 60 asylum seekers who were trying to escape from one of Australia's controversial camps for illegal immigrants.
An immigration department spokeswoman said violence flared for the third consecutive night at Woomera, the biggest and most isolated of Australia's six detention centres, and extra police were drafted in to control the rioting.
"At about midnight about 50 to 60 detainees breached internal security fencing and attempted to breach the external fencing," the spokeswoman told Reuters. "Water cannon were used to disperse the detainees and they are all now back in their compound," she said.
The riots are the latest in a string of violence and escapes at the South Australian desert camp at Woomera, where about 1,000 mostly Middle Eastern asylum seekers who arrived illegally are housed.
Up to 300 detainees have gone on the rampage this week, yelling "Visa, visa, visa" as they set fire to 21 buildings in the compound, using aerosol cans converted into flame-throwers, and injuring six staff by throwing rocks and other missiles.
The violence has again thrown the spotlight on Australia's policy of detaining anyone arriving in the country illegally or overstaying visas in secure camps while their applications to stay are handled. That process can take years.