UK sanctions senior combatants in Sri Lanka's civil war

The UK on Monday announced sanctions against four senior combatants in the Sri Lanka civil war that ended in 2009, who it said were "responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses" during the decades-long conflict.

The sanctioned individuals include former head of the Sri Lankan armed forces Shavendra Silva, former navy commander Wasantha Karannagoda and former commander of the Sri Lankan Army Jagath Jayasuriya, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office.

They also include the former military commander of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, also known as Karuna Amman.

The Foreign Office said the four were responsible for "serious human rights abuses and violations" during the war, "including extrajudicial killings, torture and/or perpetration of sexual violence".

The sanctions include UK travel bans and asset freezes.

"The UK government is committed to human rights in Sri Lanka, including seeking accountability for human rights violations and abuses which took place during the civil war," said Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

"The UK government looks forward to working with the new Sri Lankan government to improve human rights in Sri Lanka, and welcomes their commitments on national unity," he added.