Diamond miners exploring the Chiadzwa diamond fields are unearthing human skeletons believed to belong to illegal miners and dealers killed during an army crack-down almost two years ago, Zimbabwe Metro reported.

According to reports, both Canadile Mining and Mbada Diamonds – the two companies licensed to mine the area - said that human remains have been found on site since the start of operations last year.

This latest revelation comes amid government’s spirited claims that no one was killed during the army raids meant to rid the Chiadzwa diamond fields from thousands of fortune seekers who descended on the area in search of the precious stones.

Human rights watchers estimate that at least 200 people were killed during the operation.

“It’s very scary,” said a worker from Canadile Mining. “We are coming across skeletons in the diamond fields. I shudder to imagine what happened here.”

The discoveries of skeletons also come amid a visit to Chiadzwa by Abbey Chikane, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme appointed monitor to Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, it was not clear whether he was informed of the presence of skeletons all over the diamond fields.

Allegations of killings and rights violations by troops and smuggling of “blood diamonds” have surrounded the discovery of the extensive Marange deposits four years ago.

President Robert Mugabe’s government vehemently rejects the charges.