Democracy supporters arrested in Zimbabwe

Riot police in the capital of Zimbabwe have arrested nearly 400 supporters of the Movement for Democratic Change, a U.N. information network said.

The United Nations Integrated Regional Information Networks said Friday the supporters had been attempting to seek refuge at the opposition party's offices when they were arrested.

The party's supporters were among those attempting to flee Zimbabwe's rural areas, where state-sponsored violence has reportedly been occurring since the recent parliamentary elections.

The Zimbabwe African National Union -- Patriotic Front government lost in those elections and has since initiated a "Who did you vote for?" operation in the areas around the capital of Harare.

An anonymous political analyst said the nearly 400 MDC supporters were among those being arrested for allegedly causing the post-election violence.

MDC officials have claimed their leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, defeated Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe in the first round of presidential elections, IRIN reported. The official results of the first round have yet to be announced.

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