Sri Lanka Economic Crisis Live News Updates: Embattled President President Rajapaksa on Thursday, 14 July, emailed his resignation to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena after reaching Singapore, according to NewsWire.
Earlier on Thursday, the Singapore Foreign Ministry said that neither "had he asked for asylum, nor had he been granted asylum" in the country.
Gotabaya travelled to Singapore on a Saudi Airlines flight from the Maldives. Although earlier reports said that he would fly to Saudi Arabia from there, news agency ANI reported that he would not travel further.
Meanwhile, a curfew has been imposed in Colombo till 5 am on Friday, 15 July.
Protesters vacate the official residence of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Thursday, 14 July.
(Photo: PTI/Rafiq Maqbool)
Sri Lankan Army officers stand guard after protesters vacate the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's official residence in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Thursday, 14 July.
(Photo: PTI)
A police officer and an Air Force soldier stand guard inside Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's office as protesters prepare to vacate it in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, 14 July.
(Photo: PTI/Eranga Jayawardena)
Army soldiers rest on the sidewalk of a barricaded road that leads to the parliament in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Thursday, 14 July.
Sri Lankan protesters storm the compound of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe 's office on Wednesday, 13 July, demanding he resign after president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country amid economic crisis in Colombo.
(Photo: PTI)
Wickremesinghe has informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to nominate a PM who is "acceptable" to both the government and the Opposition
He was asked to step down in an emergency all-party meeting on Wednesday
The leaders at the meeting demanded that the speaker take over as acting president instead
Wickremesinghe was appointed as the acting president on Wednesday in Rajapaksa's absence
An indefinite nationwide emergency was imposed in Sri Lanka on Wednesday
Massive protests had erupted across Colombo on Wednesday, with demonstrators taking over the prime minister's office
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'Will Announce Gotabaya's Resignation on Friday' : Speaker
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said on Thursday, 14 July, that the official announcement for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s resignation will be done on Friday, 15 July, after legal verification, NewsWire reported.
'Prez Wouldn't Have Resigned if He Was in Sri Lanka': Maldives Speaker
Maldives Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed said that Gotabaya would not have resigned "if he were still in Sri Lanka and fearful of losing his life."
"I hope Sri Lanka can now move forward. I commend the thoughtful actions of the government of Maldives. My best wishes to the people of Sri Lanka," he added.
Gotabaya had reportedly decided to flee to Maldives because of his 'close friendship' with Nasheed.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Resigns
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled to Singapore via the Maldives, has emailed his resignation letter to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, according to NewsWire.
Acting Prez Transfers Rakna Lanka Ltd Back to Defence Ministry
A Gazette notifying the transfer of Rakna Arakshana Lanka Ltd, a private security company, back to the Defence Ministry was issued by acting President and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Thursday.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last week had issued a Gazette Extraordinary bringing the Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Limited under the Ministry of Investment Promotion, NewsWire reported.