The Swedish government suspects that actors from abroad provoked riots in several Swedish cities last week, said Minister of Justice Morgan Johansson, AP reported.

The riots began after a Danish far-right activist announced plans to hold rallies in Sweden. Rasmus Paludan burned copies of the Quran at events in Denmark where he also criticized Islam, and the news that he wanted to do the same in Sweden sparked anger.

In an interview with the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, Johansson referred to allegations on the Internet earlier this year that Swedish social services allegedly abducted Muslim children.

A Swedish agency set up to counter disinformation said the kidnapping allegations can be traced back to an Arabic-language website that has expressed support for the Islamic State group.

After word of Paludan's plan reached Iran and the United Arab Emirates, governments in Tehran and Dubai called in Swedish diplomats to protest.

A total of 26 police officers and 14 others were injured in the riots and 20 police vehicles were destroyed or damaged, officials said.

The latest riots erupted on Sunday evening in Malmö, Sweden's third-largest city, when an angry mob made up mostly of young people set fire to tires, rubbish and trash cans in an area known for its high crime rate.

Unrest and violent clashes were reported in several other Swedish cities.

National police officials said on Monday they suspect some of the rioters were linked to criminal gangs that are deliberately targeting police.