The UK has imposed sanctions on four individuals, including military commanders, for human rights abuses and violations during Sri Lanka's 2009 campaign against the LTTE, which ended in the group's defeat.

On Monday, the UK Foreign Office announced sanctions against four Sri Lankan figures. These include General Shavendra Silva, the former head of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces; Wasantha Karannagoda, the former Navy Commander; Jagath Jayasuriya, the former Army Commander; and Vinyagamurthy Muralidaran, a former LTTE deputy leader who later joined the government as a deputy minister. They are now subject to UK travel bans and asset freezes. The UK government has imposed sanctions on 4 individuals responsible for serious human rights abuses and violations during the Sri Lanka civil war, including extrajudicial killings, torture and/or perpetration of sexual violence," the statement said.

David Lammy, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs, stated, "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, and which continue to have an impact on communities today." He said the sanctions would make sure that those who committed human rights violations in the past are held responsible. "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," Lammy said. 

The UK government has sanctioned General Silva, just like the US State Department did in 2020. In 2023, Canada also imposed sanctions on former Sri Lankan presidents Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The Rajapaksa brothers led the military operation that defeated the LTTE, ending their 30-year fight for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east of Sri Lanka. General Silva and Karannagoda were important leaders in the intense military campaign that lasted for less than three years.