HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — A former army brigadier who quit Zimbabwe's ruling party to protest the removal of former leader Robert Mugabe has formed a new political party.

Ambrose Mutinhiri, a veteran of the 1970s war against white minority rule, met Mugabe on Sunday before announcing he had formed an opposition party named the National Patriotic Front.

Mutinhiri had resigned from parliament last week, citing the military intervention that pressured 94-year-old Mugabe into stepping down in November as his reason for cutting ties with the ruling ZANU-PF party.

State media reported Monday that Mutinhiri's party had Mugabe's backing. The party said it was sympathetic to Mugabe, posting a picture of Mutinhiri with Mugabe.