The UN says about 7,000 civilians were killed in the final months of fighting [AFP]

They said the US department of homeland security was to interview General Sarath Fonseka, who is currently visiting the US, on Wednesday.

Matt Chandler, a US spokesman, said "the department of homeland security cannot confirm nor deny the existence of any investigation".

But a US state department report presented to congress last month said that both the Sri Lankan government and the separatists committed serious human rights violations in the final stages of the conflict that ended in the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in May.

Rohitha Bogollagama, Sri Lanka's foreign minister, said the US authorities were trying to force Fonseka to testify "as a possible source" against Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the defence secretary and brother of Mahinda Rajapakse, the Sri Lankan president, over allegations of human rights violations.

Bitter war

Damien Kingsbury, a political analyst based in Melbourne, Australia, said that while the US had information that war crimes were committed during the war, they do not have hard evidence.

"They would like to get some clarification from general Fonseka as to exactly what happened in the closing months of the war," he said.

"This reflects the style of the Obama administration in the US, it is going to put human rights fairly high on its international agenda."

Fonseka, who also holds US citizenship, arrived in the US last week to visit his daughters in Oklahoma.

Sri Lanka's offensive against the Tamil Tiger separatists exposed it to serious allegations of atrocities.

Human rights groups accused government forces of indiscriminate bombardments, resulting in civilian deaths. Civilian hospitals were also allegedly shelled to deprive the separatists of safe havens.

Troops killed the leader of the separatists in May, ending one of Asia's longest-running and bloodiest insurgencies.

The UN reported that more than 7,000 civilians were killed in the final few months of fighting.

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