(HARARE, Zimbabwe) — A human rights group in Zimbabwe says five people were killed in clashes between demonstrators protesting fuel hikes and security forces who opened fire on some crowds.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights on Tuesday reported the death toll as many businesses in the capital, Harare, and other cities were closed following Monday’s violence. This is Zimbabwe’s biggest unrest since deadly post-election violence in August.
Another human rights group says 26 people suffered gunshot wounds and that some were afraid to go to hospitals for fear of arrest.
State security minister Owen Ncube says lives were lost, police officers were injured and property was damaged. He says more than 200 people were arrested and blames the main opposition MDC party and some civil society groups for the violence.
