DHAKA: The United States called on Sunday for Sri Lanka to investigate rights abuses by security forces after a top envoy completed a fact-finding mission to the island.

The US embassy in Colombo said, reports The Straits Times.

US State Department war crimes investigator Stephen Rapp ‘listened to eyewitness accounts about serious human rights abuses’ during his five-day mission to the island that ended on Saturday, the embassy said.

‘During ambassador Rapp’s discussions, he listened to eyewitness accounts about serious human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, including those that occurred at the end of the war’, the embassy said in a statement.

‘In that context the government of the US encourages the government of Sri Lanka to seek the truth through independent and credible investigations, and where relevant, have prosecutions,’ it said.

BDST: 1640 HRS, JAN 12, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor