Three women accused of being witches have been killed and burned in their house in East Timor.

The three women - aged 70, 50 and 25 - were killed on Saturday evening in Liquica, about 40km west of the capital Dili.

Liquica district police investigation unit head Geraldo Soares said on Monday they had been accused of being witches and were attacked by unknown people.

United Nations police were also investigating the murders.

The AFP news agency reports this is believed to be the first case involving witchcraft accusations in East Timor - a country which is overwhelmingly Roman Catholic.

Unrest in April and May last year led to the deaths of at least 37 people and forced about 15 percent of East Timor's population to flee their homes, prompting the arrival of foreign peacekeepers at Dili's request.

© NewsRoom 2007