Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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April 25, 2008

Zimbabwean Riot Police Raid Opposition Party Offices 
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1C05937:A6F02AD83191E160BFD3FF1F574631E921A4E82C900CD027& 
Police say they arrested people Friday they accuse of being responsible for post-election violence 






Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change, MDC, supporters are taken by police from outside  the headquarters of the MDC, in Harare, Zimbabwe, 25 Apr 2008Zimbabwe's main opposition party says heavily-armed riot police have detained hundreds of party supporters in a major raid on the group's headquarters in Harare.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) says at least 200 police officers raided the building in the capital Friday.  They say many of those arrested had been seeking refuge from what they call widespread political violence by ruling party loyalists.

Police say the raid targeted people they accuse of being responsible for violence following the country's disputed March 29 elections.

Independent election observers in Zimbabwe say police also raided their offices today.  It was unclear if police seized anything in the raid.

Tensions are rising in Zimbabwe concerning the delay in the release of results from the presidential vote, which the MDC says it won.

Zimbabwe's electoral commission is recounting the vote in selected districts.  Commission officials say the early recount results are the same as the initial vote count.

On Thursday, the top U.S. envoy to Africa told reporters in South Africa that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai won a clear victory over President Robert Mugabe.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.



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