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NEW DELHI: Thousands of protesters in Sri Lanka’s commercial capital Colombo broke through police barricades and stormed president Gotabaya Rajapaksa‘s official residence.
The island of 22 million people is struggling under a severe foreign exchange shortage that has limited essential imports of fuel, food and medicine, plunging it into the worst financial turmoil in seven decades.
Here are the latest developments:
Sri Lanka leader flees as protesters storm home
Sri Lanka‘s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence on Saturday shortly before protesters stormed and overran the compound.
As protesters surged at the gates of the President’s Palace, troops guarding the compound fired in the air to hold back the tide until Rajapaksa was safely removed, a top defence source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“The president was escorted to safety,” the source added. “He is still the president, he is being protected by a military unit.”
Sri Lanka protesters, angered by economic meltdown
Some protesters, holding Sri Lankan flags and helmets, broke into the president’s residence, video footage from local TV news NewsFirst channel showed. Military personnel and police at both locations were unable to hold back the crowd, as they chanted slogans asking President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down.
Two defence ministry sources said President Rajapaksa was removed from the official residence on Friday for his safety ahead of the planned rally over the weekend.
Sri Lanka PM calls urgent cabinet meeting after president flees
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe summoned an emergency party leaders meeting to discuss the situation and come to a swift resolution, his office said in a statement. He has also requested the speaker to summon parliament, the statement said.
Wickremesinghe has also been moved to a secure location, a government source told Reuters.
Several injured in clashes between anti-government protesters
At least 34 people including two police officers were wounded in scuffles as protesters tried to enter the residence. Two of the injured are in critical condition while others have sustained minor injuries, said an official at the Colombo National Hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
(With agency inputs) Watch Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flees as protesters storm residence
The island of 22 million people is struggling under a severe foreign exchange shortage that has limited essential imports of fuel, food and medicine, plunging it into the worst financial turmoil in seven decades.
Here are the latest developments:
Sri Lanka leader flees as protesters storm home
Sri Lanka‘s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled his official residence on Saturday shortly before protesters stormed and overran the compound.
As protesters surged at the gates of the President’s Palace, troops guarding the compound fired in the air to hold back the tide until Rajapaksa was safely removed, a top defence source told AFP on condition of anonymity.
“The president was escorted to safety,” the source added. “He is still the president, he is being protected by a military unit.”
Sri Lanka protesters, angered by economic meltdown
Some protesters, holding Sri Lankan flags and helmets, broke into the president’s residence, video footage from local TV news NewsFirst channel showed. Military personnel and police at both locations were unable to hold back the crowd, as they chanted slogans asking President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to step down.
Two defence ministry sources said President Rajapaksa was removed from the official residence on Friday for his safety ahead of the planned rally over the weekend.
Sri Lanka PM calls urgent cabinet meeting after president flees
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe summoned an emergency party leaders meeting to discuss the situation and come to a swift resolution, his office said in a statement. He has also requested the speaker to summon parliament, the statement said.
Wickremesinghe has also been moved to a secure location, a government source told Reuters.
Several injured in clashes between anti-government protesters
At least 34 people including two police officers were wounded in scuffles as protesters tried to enter the residence. Two of the injured are in critical condition while others have sustained minor injuries, said an official at the Colombo National Hospital who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.
(With agency inputs) Watch Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa flees as protesters storm residence
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