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Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority is tracking eight suspected poachers from Zambia who escaped back to the neighbouring country following a shootout with rangers which left two people dead on Saturday.

The eight escaped after two of their colleagues were killed in the shootout that took place in the Zambezi National Park at Matetsi Unit, about 29km along the Victoria Falls-Kazungula Road.

The suspected poachers, whom authorities say were from Zambia, opened fire on two rangers who had been “strategically” deployed in the Zambezi National Park.

The rangers gunned down two of the suspected poachers, one of whom was armed with an AK 47 rifle, while eight others escaped back to Zambia, the wildlife authority’s spokesperson Caroline Washaya-Moyo said.

She said the authority was working on following up on those who escaped.

“I can confirm that two of our rangers who were strategically deployed in the Zambezi National Park had contact with poachers on Saturday at 5AM and shot two poachers who had opened fire on them. Efforts are underway to follow those who escaped back to Zambia,” said Washaya-Moyo.

She said rangers recovered an AK 47 rifle and mealie-meal weighing more than 100kg among other items.

The AK 47 was allegedly loaded with 18 rounds of ammunition.