The European Union is calling for an independent inquiry into alleged human rights violations during the civil war in Sri Lanka.

In a statement, the EU foreign ministers say "those accountable must be brought to justice". The EU says many civilians were killed during the last phase of the conflict.

After 26 years, the conflict finally appears to be over. On Sunday, the beleaguered Tamil Tigers insurgents said they gave up the fight, and on Monday the Sri Lankan army announced that the movement's leader Vellupillai Prabharakan had been killed. He and two other rebels reportedly tried to flee the war zone in an ambulance, but they were surrounded and killed. Mr Prabharakan's son was also shot dead.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel to Sri Lanka on Friday to personally take stock of the humanitarian situation among the tens of thousands of Tamil civilians in government reception centres in the northeast.