A Dutch court has ordered Apple to pay damages to Samsung over a patent violation in the Netherlands, the latest twist in the global legal battle waged by the two rival phone and computer makers.

Apple and Samsung have been suing each other in about a dozen countries for the past few years as they compete globally for consumers in the fast-growing markets for smart phones and tablet computers.

An employee of South Korean mobile carrier KT holds a Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet (R) and Apple Inc's iPad tablet as he poses for photos at a registration desk at KT's headquarters in Seoul August 10, 2011. Credit:Jo Yong-Hak

The US company has accused Samsung of "slavishly" copying the iPhone and iPad tablet through products that run on Google's Android software. The Korean firm has counter-sued with claims accusing Apple of infringing its patents.

A court in The Hague ruled Apple had violated a Samsung patent used in some of Apple's phones and tablet computers to connect to the Internet, and said damages should be based on certain iPhone and iPad sales in the Netherlands.