Sri Lanka: The President announces his resignation after the wave of protests that led to the seizure of the presidential palace
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image source, Environmental Protection Agency
Protesters stormed the presidential palace in Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he will resign on July 13, after protests rocked the country on Saturday.
Mahinda Yaba Abiwardena, the speaker of parliament, said the president had informed him of his decision.
This comes after protesters entered the private residence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe on Saturday and set it on fire.
Video images that began circulating on social media show the house on fire.
It was not known where the Prime Minister was when the protesters entered.
The incident occurred a few hours after thousands of protesters occupied the city President’s official residenceGotabaya Rajapaksa, in the country’s capital, Colombo.
Shortly before, it was Wickremesinghe he quit To allow the formation of a multi-party government, in light of the mass protests sparked by the unprecedented economic crisis seriously affecting the country.
Attack on the presidential residence
Earlier on Saturday, protesters from across the country stormed the presidential residence, demanding the president’s resignation.
Armed with flags and banners, protesters were enraged at President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s handling of the worst economic crisis in decades, leading them to bypass security forces.
image source, Getty Images
The swimming pool at the residential palace in Colombo, which was seized by protesters.
frustrated with inflationrampant, Shortage For months of fuel, medicine and even food (a situation that only worsened), they began a march towards Rajapaksa’s official residence on Saturday morning.
Police fired shots into the air and fired tear gas which failed to stop the crowd.
Videos posted on social media show protesters Entering the palace pool.
The majority is reportedly demanding the immediate resignation of the president as well as Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The president is unlikely to be in the building at the time of the attack, as he has reportedly been held elsewhere for months.
And the security forces indicate that he was taken to A Safe placefor which they did not provide any information.
image source, Getty Images
The protesters demanded the resignation of the head of state and the prime minister.
image source, Getty Images
Protests have been taking place in the country for months.
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