Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara has set up a commission to investigate possible human rights violations during post-election violence.

The government said Thursday the panel will help understand how and why people were able to conceive, plan and execute what it called “massive human rights and public liberty violations.”

The commission is expected to conduct its probe over a six-month period.

The violence began after former president Laurent Gbagbo lost the November election to Mr. Ouattara but refused to give up power. More than 3,000 people were killed in the subsequent power struggle.

U.N. investigators have said it appears both sides in the conflict committed war crimes and crimes against humanity.

President Ouattara, who was sworn into office in May, has vowed to hold accountable all parties who committed crimes during the political crisis.

Prosecutors with the International Criminal Court have requested permission to conduct an investigation in Ivory Coast.

Mr. Gbagbo was arrested in April and remains in custody.