The United Nations (UN) has called for a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lanka army’s long conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels.

According to a delayed report, the UN Human Rights Council accused both sides of atrocities during the final stages of the war in 2009.

UN estimate that 40,000 Tamils died in the final army offensive.

Sri Lanka’s new government unveiled plans to set up a truth and reconciliation commission to examine allegations of war crimes, including those against the military.

The previous government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa had resisted international pressure to investigate the issue.