Tamils killed 'over 6,000 soldiers'
Updated on 22 May 2009
As Ban Ki-moon heads to Sri Lanka, the government admits for the first time it suffered heavy military casualties in the last phase of its war with the Tamil Tigers.
As the UN chief heads to the Island to discuss the plight of the thousands of displaced people, the Sri Lankan defence ministry said over 6,000 soldiers were killed in the last three years - and nearly 30,000 were injured.
The figures were made public as many Sri Lankans took the streets to celebrate the end of the 25-year war.
Our foreign affairs correspondent Jonathan Miller reports.
Some of the pictures in his report are distressing.