Americans examining satellite images for evidence of war crimes in Sri Lanka

Washington, May 22 (ANI): US military satellites secretly monitored Sri Lanka's conflict zone through the latter stages of the war against the Tamil Tigers and American officials are examining images for evidence of war crimes.

The images are of a higher resolution than any that are available commercially and could bolster the case for an international war crimes inquiry when the UN Human Rights Council holds a session on Sri Lanka next week, The Times reports.

The National Geo-spatial Intelligence Agency (NGA), based in Bethesda, Maryland, which is part of the Department of Defence, is said to have undertaken this task.

Marshall Hudson, a spokesman for the NGA, told The Times that the agency had been monitoring the conflict zone and had provided images to the State Department, some of which were released to the media in April.

"It's a safe assumption that we didn't release everything that we have," he said.

He declined to give further details.

Sri Lanka declared victory in its 26-year civil war on Tuesday after killing or capturing the last of the Tigers.

Britain, the EU and Ban Ki Moon, the UN Secretary-General, have called for an investigation into allegations that both sides committed war crimes repeatedly, including firing on civilians.(ANI)