Gotabaya Rajapaksa leaves Maldives for Singapore, Saudi Arabia subsequent? | World News

Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has left Maldives for Singapore, from the place he'll head to Saudi Arabia, the Related Press reported.

The 73-year-old chief boarded a Saudi Airways aircraft on Wednesday that may take him to Singapore after which to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, a Maldives authorities official advised AP.

Rajapaksa had left Sri Lanka on Wednesday morning together with his spouse and two bodyguards. He was welcomed on the airport by speaker Mohamed Nasheed. Rajapaksa fled the nation on the day he was supposed handy over his resignation.

His determination to step down got here after the protesters stormed his presidential palace on Saturday, demanding he and prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe step down.

SRI LANKA CRISIS LIVE COVERAGE

Nevertheless, the protesters have stated they may vacate the federal government buildings seized by them in the course of the protests.

"We're peacefully withdrawing from the Presidential Palace, the Presidential Secretariat and the Prime Minister's Workplace with speedy impact, however will proceed our wrestle," a spokesperson stated.

Sri Lankan premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, who's now the performing president, directed the navy to make use of power to quell the protests. Nevertheless, the Sri Lankan military has declined the directions.

With the resignation deadline already missed, the Sri Lankan speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena stated Rajapaksa ought to submit his resignation or he can be pressured to think about different choices to take away him, PTI had reported.

He stated that since an performing President has been appointed, the Workplace of the Speaker is exploring the authorized provisions to think about the choice of "have vacated his submit" if the President doesn't tender in his letter of resignation, the report by News First Lanka added.