U.N. suspends Sri Lankan troops from peacekeeping over army chief appointment

The United Nations suspended Sri Lankan Army deployments in the world body's peacekeeping operations after the Indian Ocean island nation appointed a war veteran who has been accused of serious human rights violations, an official said on Wednesday. Sri Lanka's president in August appointed war veteran Shavendra Silva as its army chief, drawing sharp criticism from the United States and the United Nations over the appointment of an officer who has been accused of serious human rights violations.