Rwandan President Paul Kagame has told CNN he doesn’t know if his country’s troops are in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where fighting between the M23 armed group and Congolese soldiers has killed more than 700 people and injured thousands in recent days.

President Paul Kagame distanced Rwanda from the ongoing conflict in the DRC, asserting that the crisis was instigated by the DRC itself, not Rwanda.

Rwanda President Paul Kagame has warned South Africa that although Rwanda prefers peace, it will, without doubt, respond to any “confrontation” from any force that threatens its sovereignty or defence forces.

The Congolese government, alongside U.N. officials and Western powers, including the United States, has accused neighbouring Rwanda of exacerbating the conflict by deploying thousands of troops and heavy weaponry in support of M23.