Oct. 31 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's main opposition party said 20 of its supporters were injured when they were attacked by a youth militia loyal to President Robert Mugabe.

The attackers, known as ``Green Bombers'' because of their uniforms, beat opposition members on Oct. 29 at Epworth, outside Harare, the Movement for Democratic Change said in an e-mailed statement today. At least 20 MDC supporters had to seek medical attention, five of whom were hospitalized.

The attacks followed a visit to the area by former Mines Minister Amos Midzi, who stood as a candidate for Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front in Epworth in a March 29 election and lost to the MDC. Midzi declined to comment on the incident.

``Come to our headquarters if you want to talk to me,'' he said by phone from Harare.

Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front party and the MDC are deadlocked in talks over who should control 10 ministries, after agreeing to share power following elections earlier this year. The Cabinet portfolios that are being disputed include Home Affairs, which is responsible for the police. The MDC has accused Zimbabwe's security forces of continuing human-rights abuses against Mugabe's opponents.

One man injured in this week's attacks said Zanu-PF was ``angry'' because the MDC hasn't signed a final accord on power sharing.

``They said the MDC must be forced to sign the agreement or else,'' Johnson Banda said by phone from a Harare hospital.

George Charamba, spokesman for Zimbabwe's presidency, and Nathan Shamuyarira, spokesman for Zanu-PF, didn't answer calls to their mobile or office phones when called for comment today.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Latham via Johannesburg at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: October 31, 2008 05:58 EDT