Refugee alleges he was beaten up on Nauru

An Afghan refugee on Nauru has alleged that four locals beat him so badly he ended up in hospital over the weekend.

Minister for Immigration Scott Morrison said refugees settled on Nauru are no longer accommodated at the offshore processing centre, so it is a matter for that island's government.

"This incident is wholly a matter for Nauru," the minister said in a statement on Tuesday.

The teenager said he went for a swim with three other boys on Sunday and on their way back they were attacked by local men.

"They slapped me and kicked me and did the same thing to the rest of the boys and when we run away they threaten us to kill," he told the ABC.

"I do not know what happened to me. I blacked out and ... I found myself in hospital."

The Nauru government has confirmed there was a general police incident on the island over the weekend.

"Sadly, incidents of crime occur on Nauru sometimes, just as they do in Australia and our police force works hard to ensure perpetrators are prosecuted," a Nauru government spokesperson said.

All refugees who live within the Nauruan community are safe, the spokesperson said.

The boys are all believed to be unaccompanied minors, among 27 living in community houses since being released from the detention centre a month ago.