According to an official newspaper, Zimbabwe has pledged to withdraw its army from the Marange diamond fields in the country’s eastern region following Human Right Watch’s allegations that the Zimbabwe army was committing killings in the area.

Zimbabwe is attempting to diffuse criticism over the military activity at the Marange diamond fields. The Herald reported that a Kimberley Process Review Team headed by Mr. Alfred Kpandel Fayia, Liberia's Deputy Minister of Planning and Development, visited River Ranch diamond mine. The Kimberley process’ current inspections are aimed to curtail the smuggling of conflict diamonds out of the country, an initiative that is reportedly welcomed by Zimbabwe's diamond industry.

The Kimberley report noted illegal digging and processing of diamonds in Marange and called for stricter controls to stop diamond smuggling across the porous eastern border with Mozambique.

Zimbabwe's coalition government claims that the military was sent in to secure the area of the Marange Diamond Fields, where diamond mining is managed by the state's Mining Development Corp.

Mines Minister Obert Mpofu told Kimberley Process inspectors that the troops would be withdrawn from the diamond fields and the country would meet international diamond mining standards.