Mugabe adds mercenaries to arsenal of abuse

Independent:

Foreign mercenaries have joined so-called "war veterans" and militiamen attacking opposition supporters in rural parts of Zimbabwe, human rights workers have confirmed.

Eyewitnesses say the men are more vicious than their Zimbabwean counterparts, with the marauding gangs attacking suspected members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), forcing them to renounce the party.

They dress in army fatigues, carry Russian-made guns and are accompanied by interpreters when out with the militias.

Patrick Chitaka, the MDC chairman in Manicaland province in the east of the country, said the foreigners had been identified in the past two to three weeks supporting government-backed men.

Mr Chitaka said: "We have observed that some of the people leading the violence are foreigners because they speak a different language and they do not understand our local languages.

"Also the tactics they are using are not peculiar with Zimbabweans because they are cutting out the tongue, removing eyes and genital parts. We are not sure where they come from."

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I don't think Jesse Jackson would sell out to Mugabe so it is probably not him removing genital parts. But if they are speaking in rhymes, I may have to reconsider.

Seriously, this new terrorism is similar to that practices by Saddam Hussein and his sons. It does suggest that Mugabe still fears losing control of the situation and needs additional terror troops. Where he would get the money to pay them is another matters. Perhaps he is getting outside help from his friends who opposed the UN resolution.