HARARE — Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday accused Western countries of supporting violent countrywide protests last month that were sparked by a huge rise in fuel prices.

At least 12 civilians died and hundreds more were injured following a joint police and military crackdown on protesters after shops were looted and set on fire.

“We regret the loss of life but we needed to protect property as well as other citizens not involved in the protests,” Mnangagwa said.

“We have told the Western countries that they cannot turn around and raise concerns when they are the ones sponsoring the violence,” the privately-owned NewsDay newspaper quoted Mnangagwa as saying.

Authorities have blamed the protests on the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party and on non-governmental organizations that they said were backed by Western governments.

Meanwhile, Mnangagwa dismissed rumors of a rift with his deputy.

Mnangagwa, in his comments, said “not a single person” had shown him evidence of divisions between him and Constantino Chiwenga.

Brushing off the speculation, Mnangagwa said he and Chiwenga “are comrades and understand each other better than you think.” The media spokesman who the two men share did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The president also shrugged off telephone calls he said he received while abroad, from an official who told him he would not be allowed to return to Zimbabwe because of a coup.

“I laughed and advised that person to enjoy a peaceful night’s sleep,” the president was quoted as saying.

The crackdown began in mid-January in response to violent protests that were triggered by Mnangagwa’s decision to increase the price of fuel by 150 percent.

He returned home early from a four-nation official tour when the unrest escalated, promising to clamp down on abuse by security services and investigate any illegal actions against protesters.

Lawyers and rights groups say that, despite this, hundreds of people remain in detention, with many having been denied access to legal representation. They say 12 people were killed during the protests while police say three died.

Residents of Harare say scores suspected of involvement in the protests have been dragged from their homes while some opposition lawmakers have gone into hiding.

Nicknamed ‘Crocodile’, Mnangagwa was a close Mugabe ally during much of the post-colonial leader’s 37 years in power.

When he took over as president in November 2017, Mnangagwa promised to revive Zimbabwe’s disintegrating economy and break with his predecessor’s authoritarian politics.

To date, evidence suggests he has done neither.

The persistence of the crackdown has led to speculation that Mnangagwa is not in full control of the military, while high and still rising inflation continues to erode Zimbabweans’ purchasing power. — Agencies