Papua New Guinea police have been involved in a confrontation with asylum seekers at the Manus Island detention centre, after days of self-harm protests by detainees.

No injuries have been reported after the incident.

Photos obtained by the ABC appear to show police in riot gear at the detention centre.

• Hunger strike on Manus Island

Immigration sources have told the ABC that some non-essential staff at the Australian-run centre had been evacuated over concerns of possible violence.

Earlier on Friday, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said he was worried about the “volatile” situation at the centre, where asylum seekers have reportedly swallowed washing powder and razors as part of the ongoing protests.

He said people outside the centre had been encouraging the behaviour by telling asylum seekers it could help them get to Australia.

“I’m very concerned that somehow people are conveying a message that through non-compliant behaviour, by refusing to take food or water that somehow that behaviour will change the outcome for those individual cases in terms of their desire to be settled in Australia,” he said.

“If people are acting on that advice they should dismiss that advice.”

He said the protests would not change the Government’s resolve on border security and detainees on Manus Island would never be resettled in Australia.

“My message today is very clear to the transferees on Manus and in other facilities: whilst there has been a change of minister the absolute resolve of me as the new minister and of the Government is to make sure that for those transferees they will never arrive in Australia,” Mr Dutton said.