Former President Laurent Gbagbo has denied the charges relating to Ivory Coast’s civil conflict that erupted after he lost elections in 2010.

Mr Gbagbo made the disclaimer on Thursday when he appeared at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the opening of his war crimes trial.

Gbagbo is the first former head of state to stand trial at the court in The Hague, and is facing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

ICC Chief Prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, accused Mr Gbagbo of orchestrating a ‘campaign of violence’.

She said that the trial was aimed to ‘uncover the truth’ as both Mr Gbagbo and his co-accused, former militia leader, Charles Ble Goude, said they were innocent.

The former President allegedly sparked a crisis in Ivory Coast after he refused to step down following his loss to Alassane Ouattara in the 2010 presidential poll.

At least 3,000 people were reportedly killed in the civil conflict that ensued.