DHAKA: The Sri Lankan president says he hopes to set up a domestic inquiry into alleged war crimes committed during the country’s civil war within a month.

Maithripala Sirisena said UN investigators would not be involved, despite international pressure.

He was speaking to the BBC’s Sinhala service while on a visit to London.

The Sri Lankan army defeated the Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009, ending a 26-year long conflict. Both sides have been accused of atrocities.

Sirisena said he expected the investigative committee tasked with examining alleged human rights abuses would work ‘efficiently, in a balanced, legal and impartial manner’.

He told BBC Sinhala’s Saroj Pathirana that advice from the UN would be taken into account but there was no need for them to be involved in the inquiry.

BDST: 1238 HRS, MAR 12, 2015