Rights groups seek independent Gaza war crimes probe after Israel’s army clears itself

JERUSALEM — Human rights activists, some charging whitewash, demanded an independent war crimes probe after Israel’s military on Wednesday cleared itself of wrongdoing over civilian deaths in the Gaza war.

Sri Lanka army: Fighting kills 43 rebels as thousands continue to flee war zone

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan soldiers have pushed deep into the sole remaining Tamil rebel enclave and killed 43 guerrillas while nearly 82,000 civilians have fled the northern war zone within the last 72 hours, the military said Wednesday.

Sri Lanka army: Fighting kills 35 rebels as thousands continue to flee war zone

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan soldiers have pushed deep into the sole remaining Tamil rebel enclave and killed 35 guerrillas while nearly 78,000 civilians have fled the northern war zone in the past two days, the military said Wednesday.

US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,274 Tuesday, according to Associated Press count

As of Tuesday, April 21, 2009, at least 4,274 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

Red Cross says tens of thousands face ‘catastrophic’ situation in Sri Lanka war zone

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Tens of thousands of civilians trapped in Sri Lanka’s northern war zone face a “catastrophic” situation, the Red Cross said Tuesday, amid fears a final assault against the Tamil Tiger rebels would lead to a dramatic rise in casualties.

Sri Lankan rebels say 1,000 civilians killed in government raid on their territory

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s Tamil rebels said Tuesday that 1,000 civilians died in a government raid on their territory that the military says freed thousands of noncombatants from the war zone. The military denied the accusation.

Sri Lanka: Exodus of civilians from war zone reaches 50,000 as thousands more rush out

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Thousands more civilians streamed out of the war zone Tuesday, the military said, bringing the exodus of the past two days to nearly 50,000 as a government deadline passed for separatist Tamil rebels to surrender.

Sri Lanka: Exodus rises to 50,000 as thousands more civilians flee war zone

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Thousands more civilians fled Sri Lanka’s northern war zone Tuesday, bringing the exodus of the past two days to nearly 50,000 as a government deadline passed for separatist Tamil rebels to surrender.

Insurgent attacks in south Afghanistan kill 3 Afghan police; roadside bombs kill 3 civilians

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Insurgents attacked Afghan policemen in three separate incidents in southern Afghanistan, killing three officers and wounding eight, while roadside bombs killed three civilians, officials said Monday.

Karzai calls on NATO general to explain Afghan civilian deaths; 5 police killed in attack

KABUL — The top U.S. general in Afghanistan said Sunday there wasn’t enough money in the world to replace the loss of an Afghan civilian, in comments that followed repeated calls by President Hamid Karzai for explanations of civilian deaths.

Sri Lankan health official says 28 civilians killed in civil war crossfire

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — At least 28 civilians have been killed in two days of fighting as Sri Lankan troops try to push into a small “no-fire zone” where Tamil Tiger rebels have bunkered down for their final stand, a health official said.

British soldier killed in Afghanistan

LONDON — Britain’s defense ministry says a soldier has been killed while on patrol in southern Afghanistan.