Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa escapes to the Maldives

Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (July 13) escaped to the neighbouring island nation of the Maldives four days after angry citizens, protesting against economic mismanagement, stormed his palace in Colombo.

His wife and a bodyguard are reported to have been flown, along with him, on an Antonov-32 military aircraft from Colombo to the Maldives early this morning, NDTV reported. He was received by Maldivian government officials at Male’s Velana airport, the report said.

Rajapaksa is expected to announce his resignation today. That will make him the first sitting Sri Lankan president to quit.

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