One man died today and seven others were injured after attackers lobbed petrol bombs at an office of Zimbabwe's ruling party.
Police blamed the attack on the ZANU-PF office in Kuwadzana outside Harare on supporters of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which is waging a tough parliamentary by-election battle in the district.
But MDC officials said the attack appeared to be the work of militant supporters of President Robert Mugabe, who has tightened the screws on his opponents amid a growing outcry at home and abroad over political repression in the country.
Police said the attack occurred when four truckloads of about 50 youths drove into Harare's Kuwadzana township early this morning, smashing vehicles and houses and assaulting pedestrians before heaving petrol bombs at the local ZANU-PF office.
Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena said one man died of his injuries this morning, and two of the seven injured were still in critical condition.
"Those who were injured are in hospital and some of them have very deep facial wounds," he said.
AFP