Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame has sparked intense speculation by refusing to confirm or deny the presence of Rwandan soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. As tensions simmer in the volatile region, Kagame’s ambiguous stance has raised pressing questions about Rwanda’s involvement in the conflict. With the international community calling for transparency and stability, Kagame’s next move could have far-reaching implications for regional peace and security.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame stated to CNN that he is unsure whether Rwandan troops are deployed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite being the Commander-in-Chief.

Fighting between the M23 armed group and Congolese soldiers has resulted in over 900 deaths and thousands of injuries in recent days.

A significant portion of the international community believes that Rwanda is supporting the M23 rebels, who recently claimed to have captured the city of Goma in eastern Congo.

United Nations experts estimate that between 3,000 and 4,000 Rwandan soldiers are supervising and assisting M23 fighters in eastern DRC, which exceeds the number of rebel forces in the area.

In an exclusive interview with CNN on Monday, President Kagame was asked whether there are any Rwandan troops present in the DRC.

“I don’t know,” Kagame said.

“There are many things I don’t know. But if you want to ask me, is there a problem in Congo that concerns Rwanda? And that Rwanda would do anything to protect itself? I’d say 100%,” he continued.

At least 900 bodies have been recovered from the streets of Goma since violence erupted, according to the United Nations’ latest figures.

“As of 31 January, at least 900 bodies have been recovered from the streets,” said the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in a report Monday, citing the World Health Organization.

CNN’s Larry Madowo compared Kagame to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who supported local separatist forces in their attempt to invade Donbas, an eastern region of Ukraine, in 2014.

“There will be countless stories,” Kagame remarked regarding the comparison, noting that he cannot control what others choose to say.

“I may be called anything—what can I do about it?” he questioned.

“We must do what we need to do… we have to ensure our survival through any storm that hits our country.”

Kagame described the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) as one of the largest foreign armed groups operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and labelled it an “existential threat” to Rwanda.

He claimed that the group is fully integrated into the Congolese armed forces and suggested that other governments in the region also support the rebel group.