There was no information on the Sri Lankans being held at the Villawood Detention Centre in Sydney, where riots broke out Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
According to the Australian media, nearly a quarter of the 400 detainees at the centre were involved in the riots by Thursday morning.
Among the detainees housed at the centre are nationals from Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, but it was not clear if Sri Lankans were involved in the riot.
Nine buildings at the Villawood Detention Centre were damaged by fire and police riot squads had to be called in overnight to deal with violent protesters, some of whom are still on the roof of a building at the complex.
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Many of the protesters had been denied permanent visas and some had their exhausted appeals and were about to be deported. The Immigration department has denied a claim that they were the same inmates who had rioted at Christmas Island recently. (News Now.lk)
