Gotabaya Rajapaksa vowed to step down on Wednesday, paving the way for a “peaceful transfer of power” after leaving his official residence in Colombo.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has fled the country amid widespread protests over the economic crisis. On Tuesday, July 12, the BBC reported.
He reportedly left the country aboard an An-32 transport aircraft of the country’s armed forces.
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He, his wife and a bodyguard were among four passengers aboard the Antonov An-32 military aircraft that flew from Sri Lanka’s main international airport.
The head of state and his family went to the Maldives.
“Arriving in the Maldives, they were taken to an unknown location under a police escort,” an airport spokesman in Male said.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa vowed to step down over the weekend, paving the way for a “peaceful transfer of power” after leaving his official residence in Colombo before thousands of protesters took over.
Sri Lanka is in the midst of a severe economic crisis – the worst since independence 70 years ago. The coronavirus pandemic has led to such consequences, causing a sharp drop in tourist flows to a country where tourism is the main source of revenue. As a result, there was a shortage of fuel, medicine, food and basic necessities in the country.
As a result of clashes with protesters, 39 people were injured, including two policemen. All victims were hospitalized.
It will be recalled that the President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa signed his resignation letter dated July 13 the previous day.
Earlier, thousands of protesters in Sri Lanka’s unofficial capital, Colombo, stormed police barricades and stormed the official residence of President Gotabai Rajapaksa. Footage of the happenings spread around the world. In addition, according to media reports, demonstrators took the prime minister’s private residence and set it on fire.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.