Sri Lanka PM Rajapaksa's home set on fire amid surging civil strife- 10 updates
The Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa tendered his resignation to the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as an outbreak of political violence killed five people including an MP and wounded almost 180
COLOMBO : As the island nation of Sri Lanka delved into the throes of severe civil strife with several cabinet minister's homes being set on fire, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's residence in the city of Kurunegala in the north-western province was set on fire, hours after the leader tendered his resignation to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Shots were fired from inside the Sri Lankan prime minister's official residence Monday, as thousands of protesters breached the main gate and torched a parked truck, an AFP reporter said.
Police also fired tear gas to push back protesters retaliating against an attack on them earlier in the day by those loyal to the outgoing premier Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Police sources confirmed that shots were fired in the air to prevent the mob breaching the inner security ring of the residence where Rajapaksa, who resigned as premier earlier in the day, was still holed up with several loyalists.
Here are ten big updates to the Sri Lankan crisis
-Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa quit on Monday, as the country goes through an intensified civil strife amid a crippling economic crisis.. Hours after this his family home was set on fire by angry mob.
-Lawmaker Amarakeerthi Athukorala from the ruling party shot two people -- killing a 27-year-old man -- and then took his own life after being surrounded by a mob of anti-government protesters outside Colombo, police said
-Another ruling-party politician who was not named opened fire on anti-government protesters in the southern town of Weeraketiya, killing two and wounding five, according to police
-Sri Lankan Police has confirmed that the emerging violence in the country has till now killed five people and injured hundreds
-Earlier today, anti-government protesters also set on fire the official residences of Sri Lanka's Moratuwa Mayor Saman Lal Fernando and the MPs Sanath Nishantha, Ramesh Pathirana, Mahipala Herath, Thissa Kuttiarachchi and Nimal Lanza
-A large number of protesters including the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) were out on the streets and attacked the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MPs. Even some Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) offices were set ablaze, Daily Mirror reported.
-The hugest clashes started this morning when supporters of the Rajapaksa family went on the rampage. The loyalists attacked unarmed protesters camping outside the President's office in Colombo since 9 April.
-The police fired tear gas shells and water cannon and declared an immediate curfew in Colombo, which was later widened to span the country of 22 million people and military was deployed to calm the situation
-The Sri Lankan cabinet now stands dissolved. The largest opposition party has refused to join any government headed by a member of the Rajapaksa clan.
-Sri Lanka has suffered months of blackouts and dire shortages of food, fuel and medicines in its worst economic crisis since independence. This sparked weeks of overwhelmingly peaceful demonstrations against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as well as his brother the prime minister.
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