DHAKA: Zimbabwe’s war veterans association, which has played a key and sometimes violent role in supporting President Robert Mugabe, has released a statement withdrawing its backing for him.

It accuses Mugabe of dictatorial tendencies, egocentrism and misrule.

It was not immediately clear if all of the war veterans agreed with the text.

Pressure on Mugabe, 92, is growing, with factions in the governing Zanu-PF party openly fighting to succeed him and protests about the failing economy.

But he has said he plans to run for president again in 2018 and rule until he dies.

BBC World Service Africa editor James Copnall says that even in the most difficult moments of his 36 years in power, Mugabe could always rely on the war veterans - his former comrades in Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle in the 1970s.

They were loyal supporters who sometimes provided him the muscle for political violence, the BBC correspondent adds, so this development will be quite a blow.

BDST: 0633 HRS, JUL 22, 2016
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