SYDNEY: Nearly 100 asylum-seekers broke out of an Australian immigration detention centre on Wednesday after days of riots and staged a protest outside, police said.

Some 92 detainees escaped from the centre in the far northern city of Darwin at about 6:30 am, a spokeswoman told AFP. Media reports said the protesters were Afghans and unfurled a banner saying, "We need protection not detention".

"At this time they are sitting not far from the fence with their banners as a peaceful protest," the spokeswoman said. "Police are negotiating with the detainees."

The mass break-out comes after more than 100 alleged people-smugglers torched mattresses and staged a protest on the roof of the detention centre in two days of disturbances on Sunday and Monday.

The centre for 450 people is housing 151 Indonesians accused of people-smuggling, with the remainder asylum seekers or people who have overstayed visas.

Australia has a policy of mandatory detention for asylum-seekers while their claims are processed, and generally processes the immigrants at remote Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean.

But increased numbers of poor immigrants -- more than 4,000 this year, mainly poor Asians fleeing conflict and economic hardship -- have forced the reopening of isolated centres on the country`s mainland.

BDST: 1520 HRS, September 1, 2010