White House says violence in Zimbabwe must stop

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House called on Sunday for the Zimbabwe government and "its thugs" to stop violence after the leading opposition candidate pulled out of the June 27 presidential vote because of killings and concern the vote would not be fair.

"The government of Zimbabwe and its thugs must stop the violence now," said Carlton Carroll, a White House assistant press secretary said on Sunday in a statement.

"All parties should be able to participate in a legitimate election and not be subject to the intimidation and unlawful actions of the government, armed militias and so-called war veterans," added Carroll.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Sunday pulled out of a run-off presidential election against veteran President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai cited violence and concern that Friday's vote in the southern African country would not be fair.

Mugabe, 84, has ruled Zimbabwe since independence from Britain in 1980.

Tsvangirai, who has been detained by police five times while campaigning, said 86 of his supporters had been killed and 200,000 displaced from their homes. His opposition Movement for Democratic Change reported its rally on Sunday was broken up by pro-Mugabe youth militia.

Mugabe has denied that his security forces have been responsible for brutal actions.

Tsvangirai beat Mugabe in a March 29 ballot but failed to gain the absolute majority needed to win the election.

(Reporting by Diane Bartz, editing by Jackie Frank)