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Mugabe blames opposition for soccer deaths

    JOHANNESBURG

    President Robert Mugabe has blamed opposition agitators for the deaths of 13 soccer fans in a stampede at the national sports stadium on Sunday.

    In what has been interpreted as a reference to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), he said on Monday: "It is quite disturbing to hear that the people who sparked off the disturbance were members of a planted group that had been taking advantage of the huge crowd to sloganeer and exhibit their symbols and finally started throwing missiles into the pitch."

    Police tear gassed the crowd which had pelted the pitch with missiles after
    Zimbabwe conceded a second goal against South Africa in a World Cup
    qualifier match. The teargas sparked a stampede in which the 13 fans died.
    News reports said that sections of the crowd had been chanting pro-MDC
    slogans.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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