JAKARTA Three policemen and six locals were killed in a clash during a police sweep for weapons in Indonesian Borneo, national police chief Surojo Bimantoro told reporters on Saturday.

The fighting broke out after police attempted to confiscate weapons from locals who were on alert one month after nearly 500 people were killed in savage ethnic clashes between indigenous Dayaks and migrants from the island of Madura, officials said.

Bimantoro told reporters the three policemen had been stabbed to death and that locals had fired homemade guns at them. He did not say how the locals were killed or if they were ethnic Dayaks.

Rampaging Dayak gangs beheaded many of their victims and ripped out their hearts in a gruesome reminder of the country's volatility.

About 50,000 people, mostly Madurese, fled Borneo last month as a result of the slaughter.

"I have received a call from the local police ... and they said the situation is under control and there is no more unrest," Bimantoro told reporters, adding 16 people had been arrested.

Bimantoro said the local police chief planned to meet prominent community leaders on Saturday night to seek a solution to the problem.

He added that on Friday an additional 300 to 400 policemen were transferred into the area as reinforcements.

"Our forces (in the area) are sufficient according to our judgement, however, yesterday we already sent two companies of police from Bali," he said.

(Reuter)