"There are more soldiers in the diamond fields than those who left," said Farai Maguwu, head of the Centre for Research and Development, in Mutare.
Last week, the state-owned Herald newspaper reported that soldiers had begun to pull out of the diamond fields.
"We have done a lot since the last review by the [Kimberley Process] as part of our efforts to comply with their recommendations, as well as towards achieving and fulfilling compliance," the Herald quoted Mines Minister Obert Mpofu as saying.
Earlier this month, Zimbabwe escaped a six-month ban on trading in diamonds for contravening diamond mining and trading rules.
At the time, outgoing Kimberly Process chairman Bernard Esau said Zimbabwe would have until June next year to make reforms.
The army has been accused of serious human rights abuses, including murder, imposing forced labour and extortion.
Maguwu said: "There are still between 300 and 400 soldiers at the diamond fields."
He said security agents manning road blocks had devised a way of identifying "illegal diamond panners". They simply inspected the "palms of their hands". People with rough hands and bruises associated with hard work were led away for further questioning.
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Vlad