An ex-militia leader on Tuesday denied involvement in bloodshed in the troubled Central African Republic a decade ago, telling judges in The Hague he was "dedicated to the search for peace".
Maxime Mokom, 44, faces 20 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity for atrocities committed against Muslim civilians in the CAR, a former French colony, by his self-proclaimed self-defence militias in 2013 and 2014.
One of the poorest countries in the world, the CAR was plunged into bloody sectarian conflict after Seleka rebels, a coalition of armed groups mainly composed of Muslims, ousted president Francois Bozize in early 2013.
Mokom's militias, which called themselves "anti-Balaka" -- meaning "anti-machete" -- formed in reaction to the takeover of the capital, Bangui, by the Seleka.
Prosecutors are seeking in a three-day hearing at the Hague-based International Criminal Court to show judges the evidence is solid enough to put Mokom -- who they say was a main military organiser of the anti-Balaka forces -- in the dock.
The judges will then decide whether Mokom should stand trial.
In an opening statement, Mokom denied involvement in the crimes alleged by the prosecution.
Mokom said he returned to the CAR in February 2014 during the height of the violence after fleeing to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
"I dedicated my return to the search for peace, rather than engage in war," said Mokom, who appeared in court dressed in a white robe.
"I absolutely refuse. I absolutely deny having participated in any plan that involved the crimes with which I have been charged," he said.
- 'Critical role' -
Prosecutors however said Mokom was responsible for revenge attacks by the anti-Balaka, which supported Bozize and comprised mainly Christian and animist members.
Mokom gave "logistical support for military operations... including by providing funds, weapons, medication and ammunition", they said.
"Maxime Mokom is one of those who took up arms to get to power at any cost, while creating terror within the civilian population... and use them as human shields to achieve their aims," added Marie-Edith Douzima-Lawson, a lawyer representing victims in the case.
In late 2013, in a bid to put Bozize back in power, Mokom led the planning and coordination for an attack on Bangui and Bossangoa, 300 kilometres (186 miles) to the northwest, prosecutors said.
Mokom played a "critical role" in organising the anti-Balaka attacks on Bangui and Bossangoa in December 2013, prosecutors said in a court document detailing the charges.
Many Muslim civilians "died in their houses and their mosques were destroyed", ICC deputy prosecutor Mame Mandiaye Niang told the judges.
- 'Leave or die' -
The charges against Mokom included directing attacks against civilians, murder, rape, pillaging and destruction of property, as well as attacks against religious buildings including mosques.
The attacks forced more than 100,000 Muslim civilians to flee Bangui across the border to neighbouring Cameroon and Chad.
Anti-Balaka attacks continued on Muslim civilians even after Seleka forces retreated from Bangui, until at least December 2014.
The attacks were widespread and systematic, prosecutors said.
"The message to the Muslim population was clear -- leave CAR or die," prosecutors said.
Later peace agreements signed in 2017 and 2019 have not been respected on the ground.
Many armed groups, rebels and assailants continue a guerrilla campaign of sporadic attacks against the Central African army, which is supported by mercenaries from the Russian private security company Wagner.
International NGOs and UN-mandated experts regularly accuse both sides of crimes and abuses against civilians.
Chadian authorities last year handed Mokom over to the ICC, which had issued a warrant for his arrest in 2018.
Two former anti-Balaka leaders, Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona and Alfred Yekatom, are already on trial at the ICC.
Last year Seleka commander Mahamat Said Abdel Kani denied war crimes and crimes against humanity charges before the court.
Set up in 2002, the ICC is the world's only independent tribunal capable of prosecuting those accused of the world's worst crimes.