Zimbabwe's "war veterans" militia plan to intimidate voters by posing as police officers during the presidential run-off, a policeman has told the BBC.

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The report came as South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki, the lead Zimbabwe negotiator, prepared to hold talks with political leaders in Harare.

Mr Mbeki has played down talk of a crisis in Zimbabwe.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says its supporters are being systematically targeted by the "war veterans" and other supporters of President Robert Mugabe ahead of the run-off.

A trade union official on Thursday said that 40,000 farm-workers and their relatives had fled their homes because of violent attacks.

The government has in turn accused the MDC of staging political attacks, while saying the extent of the violence has been exaggerated.

But a South African election observer has said that the violence makes it impossible to hold a run-off.

(BBC)

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