The United Nations Counter- Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) started a three- day focused country visit to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, covering the then militancy-plagued northern city of Jaffna, the U.N. office in Colombo said.

The official mission to Sri Lanka, which will stress the importance of a comprehensive approach to countering terrorism in accordance with the principles of the rule of law including human rights, as requested by the U.N. Security Council, will be undertaken through engagement with the Sri Lankan government.

The U.N. Colombo office said in a statement that the delegation will emphasize that terrorism will be defeated not only by military and law enforcement measures or judiciary decisions, but will also require constructive dialogue with communities.

Head of the delegation is Assistant secretary-general Jean-Paul Laborde, Executive Director of CTED and members of the delegation include counter-terrorism experts from CTED focusing on legislation, law enforcement, and countering violent extremism, as well as representatives of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime ( UNODC) and INTERPOL.

As requested by the Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), the visit will look to assess Sri Lanka's implementation of the provisions of a Security Council resolution, including the ratification and implementation of international instruments against terrorism as well as international cooperation in these matters, and to make relevant recommendations concerning steps that Sri Lanka should take in this regard and to recommend areas in which Sri Lanka would eventually benefit from receiving technical assistance and to address measures put in place by Sri Lanka to implement a Security Council resolution.

Sri Lanka defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009 after 30 years of war. (Xinhua)