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Zimbabwe: Lion kills 10-year-old girl in Chiredzi

AFP A lioness lays down in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park (November 2012).AFP
The attack is believed to have happened near a game reserve

A young girl has been killed by a lion while relieving herself at night at the back of a hut in a rural part of Zimbabwe, a police spokesman told the state-linked Chronicle newspaper.

The aunt of the little girl, named as Mitchell Mucheni, saw the lion drag her into the bush, Assistant Inspector Kudakwashe Dehwathe said.

The child's body was later found about 300m away, he added.

The incident happened on Saturday night in Chiredzi.

Africa Live: Updates on this and other stories

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Conflict between humans and animals is common in this south-eastern part of Zimbabwe.

Last month, Chief Maranda of nearby Mwenezi appealed to the national parks authority for help after stray lions killed livestock belonging to villagers.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authorities (ZimParks) has yet to comment on this latest case.