July 13, 2022 10:22
Sri Lanka declared a public emergency on Wednesday, hours following President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country, the Prime Minister’s Office announced.
“Since the president has left the country, a state of emergency has been declared to deal with the situation in the country,” Prime Minister Dinok Columbag’s spokesman said.
Airport authorities in the Maldives confirmed the arrival of Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the capital, Male, noting that he was transferred to an undisclosed location.
This came following it was reported that the president and his wife fled Sri Lanka, days following protesters stormed his home, office and the official residence of his prime minister, amid a three-month economic crisis that caused severe food and fuel shortages.
The Sri Lankan Air Force confirmed in a statement that it had provided an aircraft for the departure of the president following obtaining approval from the Ministry of Defense.
Source: agencies
